Cap lamp

• US 6,056,413 A
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles L. Urso
• Original Assignee: Charles L. Urso
• Inventors: Urso, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/999,490
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 362/103, 362/105, 362/106, 362/157, 362/187, 362/282, 362/283, 362/322, 362/321, 2/422
• US Class Current: 362/106
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/244 Means for mounting lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames

Abstract

A cap lamp (5) includes a baseball-style cap (6) having a visor (16) with an underside substantially defined by a concave visor reflector (22). A light source (24) is pivotally supported under the visor for directing light at selectively adjustable angles. A first hood (36A) partially surrounds the light source for shading a user'"'"'s face from light coming directly from the light source. The hood has an upward lateral opening (39) to emit light toward the visor reflector for flooding the immediate vicinity of the user with visor reflected light. A frontal opening (42) of the hood is provided for emitting a light beam forward of the visor. A concave hood reflector (40), within the hood, is provided for increasing the light directed to and reflected by the visor reflector. A second hood (36B) is supported to rotate about the first hood between open and closed positions for selectively inhibiting light communication with the visor reflector. An arcuate strip (49) is hidden within the cap to support a battery holder (54) which is electrically connected to the light source for energizing the same.

Claims

1. A lamp for being worn on a user'"'"'s head comprising:

a visor having an underside at least partially defined by a concave light reflecting surface which forms a visor reflector;

visor support means for holding the visor on the user'"'"'s head;

a light source and light source support means for supporting the light source under the visor;

flood light means for directing light from the light source toward the visor reflector for flooding the immediate vicinity of the user with visor reflected light; and

spot light means for directing focused light from the light source which bypasses the visor reflector.

2. The lamp as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for operating the spot light means independently of the flood light means.

3. The lamp as defined in claim 1, wherein the flood light means includes a concave light reflector partially surrounding the light source and having a reflective surface facing the visor reflector.

4. The lamp as defined in claim 3, further comprising means for movably supporting one of the reflectors for being movable relative to the other reflector.

5. The lamp as defined in claim 1, wherein the light source support means includes means for movably supporting the light source for being movable relative to the visor reflector.

6. A lamp for being worn on a user'"'"'s head comprising:

a visor having an underside at least partially defined by a concave light reflecting surface which forms a visor reflector;

visor support means for holding the visor on the user'"'"'s head;

a light source and light source support means for supporting the light source under the visor; and

a first hood mounted under the light source and partially surrounding the light source thereby shading the user'"'"'s face from light coming directly from the light source, the hood having a window toward the visor reflector for transmitting light from the light source to the visor reflector.

7. The lamp as defined in claim 6, further comprising a concave hood reflector located inside the first hood and partially surrounding the light source, the hood reflector being positioned facing the visor reflector for increasing light directed to and reflected by the visor reflector.

8. The lamp as defined in claim 7, further comprising means for movably supporting the hood reflector for being movable to selective angles relative to the visor reflector.

9. The lamp as defined in claim 6, further comprising a second hood supported to rotate about the first hood between open and closed positions, the second hood in the open position substantially conforms with the first hood to allow light transmission from the light source to the visor reflector, the second hood in the closed position being substantially opposite the first hood thereby inhibiting said light transmission to the visor reflector.

10. The lamp as defined in claim 9, further comprising a stop extending radially from one of the hoods to engage the other hood when in at least one of said positions thereby preventing the second hood from exceeding the position.

11. The lamp as defined in claim 9, further comprising a light reflector lining the inside of each hood.

12. The lamp as defined in claim 6, further comprising means for movably supporting the light source for being movable relative to the visor reflector.

13. The lamp as defined in claim 6, further comprising the hood having a second window for emitting a beam of light, from the light source, that bypasses the visor reflector.

14. A cap lamp for being worn on a user'"'"'s head comprising:

a soft cap having a soft cap shell connected to a visor;

a light source mounted on a frontal portion of the cap;

a stiff arcuate strip, within the cap shell, forming an upstanding arch for spanning over the user'"'"'s head; and

attaching means for attaching an electric power source to the strip for energizing the light source wherein the power source weight is broadly distributed by the strip.

15. The lamp as defined in claim 14, further comprising the cap having a sweatband inside the cap shell, the sweatband being attached to a circumferential edge portion of the shell wherein the arch includes lower end portions held between the sweatband and the cap shell.

16. The lamp as defined in claim 14, further comprising a head cushion detachably connected under the arch by means of a hook-and-loop fastener pad.

17. The lamp as defined in claim 14, further comprising the visor having a concave visor reflector on an underside thereof, and means for directing light from the light source in selective directions which include a direction toward the reflector and a direction bypassing the reflector wherein at least one of the light directions is selectable exclusive of the other.

18. The cap lamp as defined in claim 14, wherein the stiff strip includes lower end portions attached at diametrically opposite sides of the shell, respectively, such that the strip crosses the middle of the shell.

19. The cap lamp as defined in claim 14, wherein the attaching means is positioned at a top portion of the strip.

20. The cap lamp as defined in claim 14, wherein the cap is baseball style having a dome-shaped shell and the stiff strip lines the inside of the shell from the top of the dome to diametrically opposite sides thereof.