Hands-free controlled light operation

• US 7,008,074 B1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary V. Halm
• Original Assignee: Gary V. Halm
• Inventors: Halm, Gary V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Jason
• Application Number:
  US10/731,893
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 362/103, 362105-107, 362/276, 362/802, 362/804
• US Class Current: 362/105
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0692 head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/24 for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors tongue depressors per se A61B13/00; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth combined with saliva removers A61C17/00; mouth openers for animals A61D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

A hands-free dental or surgical light system (10) is disclosed which allows the dentist or surgeon to dim and turn a light (12) on and off by simply moving their head. First and second infrared sensitive switches (16, 18) are mounted on glasses (14) worn by the operator. The switches are positioned at different angles so that if the operator moves their head to point the first infrared sensitive switch (16) at a remotely located infrared source (20), the first infrared sensitive switch (16) will be activated to dim the light (12). Similarly, if the operator moves their head to point the second infrared sensitive switch (18) at the infrared source (20), the light (12) will be turned on and off.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a light source positioned on the head of an operator;

a first infrared sensitive receiver positioned proximate the light source;

a power supply to power the light source;

an infrared source located remotely from the first infrared sensitive receiver, the first infrared sensitive receiver activated when the head of the operator points the first infrared sensitive receiver at the infrared source; and

a second infrared sensitive receiver positioned proximate the light source, the light source being dimmed when the first infrared sensitive receiver is activated by the infrared source and the light source being turned off when the second infrared sensitive receiver is activated by the infrared source.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a light source positioned on the head of an operator;

a first infrared sensitive receiver positioned proximate the light source;

a power supply to power the light source;

an infrared source located remotely from the first infrared sensitive receiver, the first infrared sensitive receiver activated when the head of the operator points the first infrared sensitive receiver at the infrared source; and

the light source being toggled between bright and dim each time the infrared sensitive receiver is activated.