Telescopic illuminating tool

• US 5,975,712 A
• Filed: 12/16/1998
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shiao, Hsuan-Sen
• Original Assignee: Shiao, Hsuan-Sen
• Inventors: Shiao, Hsuan-Sen
• Primary Examiner(s): HUSAR, STEPHEN F
• Application Number:
  US09/212,376
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 362/119, 362/120, 362/198, 362/285, 362/418, 362/206
• US Class Current: 362/120
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/18 Devices for illuminating the head of the screw or the nut
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 9/00 Hand-held gripping tools other than those covered by group B25B7/00 wrenches B25B13/00; specially adapted for watchmakers' or like use G04D

Abstract

A telescopic illuminating tool includes a handle with an accommodating chamber for receiving a battery unit, and first and second electric contacts spaced apart each other. A plurality of telescopic metal concentric tubes is connected to a head of the handle at one end and, is provided with a bulb seat at an opposite end. The bulb seat has a contact area in electrical contact with a ring contact of an electric bulb, and a third electric contact in electrical contact with the concentric tubes. A stretchable electrically conductive member, such as a tension spring with an electrically insulative sheath thereon, is secured in the concentric tubes for connection with a tip contact of the bulb and a first electric contact of the handle which, in turn, is adapted to be in electrical contact with one electrode of the battery unit. A second electric contact of the handle is in electrical contact with the concentric tubes and the other electrode of the battery unit. The stretchable electrically conductive member can be stretched or retracted when the concentric tubes are extended or shortened, thereby adjusting desirably the length of the illuminating tool.

Claims

1. A telescopic illuminating tool, comprising:

a handle having a first head end, a first tail end opposite to said first head end in an axial direction, an accommodating chamber interposed therebetween and adapted to receive a battery unit which has two electrodes, a first electric contact disposed on said first head end and at a location in said axial direction, and a second electric contact insulatively spaced apart from said first electric contact in a radial direction, said first and second electric contacts being adapted to be connected electrically and respectively with the two electrodes of the battery unit;

a plurality of electrically conductive concentric tubes fitted telescopically and slidably one within another, said tubes forming an opened second head end, an opened second tail end opposite to said opened second head end in said axial direction, and a through hole extending from said opened second head end to said opened second tail end, said opened second tail end engaging said first head end and being electrically connected to said second electric contact;

a bulb seat connected to said opened second head end and distal to said opened second tail end, said bulb seat defining a contact area around said axial direction, and a third electric contact disposed to be spaced apart from said contact area in said radial direction, said third electric contact being in electrical connection with said opened second head end;

a stretchable electrically conductive member disposed securely in said through hole and insulated from said electrically conductive concentric tubes, said stretchable electrically conductive member having a front end that extends into said contact area of and that is secured relative to said bulb seat to form a fourth electric contact, and a rear end opposite to said front end in said axial direction and connected to said first electric contact such that said stretchable electrically conductive member will be stretched or retracted in said axial direction when said electrically conductive concentric tubes are extended or shortened;

an electric bulb disposed in said bulb seat to be lighted via an electrical contact between said third electric contact and said fourth electric contact; and

a tool member disposed to be spaced from and forwardly of said electric bulb in said axial direction distal to said second head end.

2. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stretchable electrically conductive member is an electrically conductive tension spring wire sheathed with an electrically insulative sheath.

3. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an electrically insulative connecting member disposed between said second tail end of said concentric tubes and said first head end of said handle, said connecting member having a passage that extends therethrough in said axial direction and that is communicated with said through hole, and an electrically conductive fastener securing said opened second tail end to said first head end and in electrical connection with said opened second tail end and said second electric contact;

said first electric contact extending outwardly of said passage and into said through hole so as to be connected to said rear end of said stretchable electrically conductive member.

4. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a switch member disposed in and rotatable relative to said first tail end of said handle so as to be adapted to make or break electrical connection between said second electric contact of said handle and one of the electrodes of the battery unit.

5. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second electric contact of said handle includes:

a conducting rod disposed in said accommodating chamber, and having a third head end connected electrically to said electrically conductive fastener, and a third tail end opposite to said third head end in said axial direction and disposed in said first tail end of said handle; and

a conducting spring disposed in said first tail end of said handle, and adapted to be mounted between the battery unit and said switch member, said conducting spring having a fourth head end adapted to be connected electrically to the other one of the electrodes of the battery unit, and a fourth tail end opposite to said fourth head end in said axial direction and including a connecting portion that abuts against said switch member and a contact portion that extends diametrically and outwardly from said connecting portion so as to be spaced apart from said third tail end of said conducting rod in a direction parallel to said axial direction;

said switch member being connected threadedly on said first tail end of said handle so as to be rotated about said axial direction to move said contact portion of said conducting spring toward said third tail end of said conducting rod against a biasing force of said conducting spring to make an electric contact between said contact portion and said third tail end.

6. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tool member includes:

an adapter made of a light-transmittable material, and having an end connected to said bulb seat and receiving said electric bulb; and

a tool unit coupled detachably to an opposite end of said adapter and having an axis in said axial direction.

7. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tool member further includes a collet chuck mechanism to couple said tool unit detachably to said opposite end of said adapter.

8. The telescopic illuminating tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein said tool unit has a magnet oriented in said axis.