LED inspection lamp and LED spot light

• US 7,204,606 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alltemp Products Company Limited (DiversiTech Holdings, Inc.), R.J. Doran & Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Brasscorp Limited, R.J. Doran & Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lemons, Thomas M., Dobbin, Sarah, Klipstein, Donald L., Brass, Jack, Hallgrimsson, Bjarki, Doran, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US10/500,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20050083687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/555, 362/187, 362/200, 362/244, 362/326, 362/800, 250/504.H, 250/504.R
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6402 Atomic fluorescence; Laser induced fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6447 by visual observation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8803 Visual inspection measuring projectors G01B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0612 Laser diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0621 Supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0627 Use of several LED's for spectral resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0638 Refractive parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0693 Battery powered circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED inspection lamp has plurality of LED sources for emitting electromagnetic radiation at different peak wavelengths for causing visible fluorescence in different leak detection dyes. A lens is associated with each LED. Radiation passing through lenses is superimposed in target area at target distance. Another LED inspection lamp has plurality of LEDs emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength. A lens adaptor has lens housing for attachment to LED inspection lamp with a single LED for causing visible fluorescence, and a lens. Substantially all of the radiation from the LED passes through the lens and is focused in a target area at a target distance from the lenses. LED spot lights have a similar configuration. The LEDs may produce white light from distinct LEDs or from white LEDs. The light may be a flashlight or fixed spot light.

Claims

1. An inspection lamp, comprising:

a) a plurality of substantially identical light emitting diodes which produce electromagnetic radiation suitable for causing visible fluorescence of a leak detection dye,

b) a plurality of lenses,

c) a handle section,

d) a head section having an opening at one end, and

e) a battery energy source in the handle,

wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are within the head section and powered by the battery energy source, wherein the plurality of lenses are within the head section, wherein the head section and handle section are physically connected in a flashlight configuration, and wherein each of said lenses forms a beam of said electromagnetic radiation, with each of said lenses being associated with one of said light emitting diodes in a manner that results in said beams being substantially superimposed with each other at a target distance from the lenses outside the lamp wherein each lens of the plurality of lenses is disposed forward from corresponding one of said light emitting diodes to collimate the radiation from each light emitting diode into a beam, such that each beam of radiation individually associated with each of said light emitting diodes projects forward from its lens and a plurality of beams of radiation simultaneously produced by a plurality of the light emitting diodes are at least substantially superimposed at a distance equal to or greater than 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) from the lenses.

2. The inspection lamp of claim 1 wherein the lenses are comprised within and spaced about a single lens mount, and the LEDs are mounted on a printed circuit board.

3. The inspection lamp of claim 2 further comprising a spacer through which the LEDs project, the spacer for correctly spacing the LEDs with respect to one another for alignment with the lenses.

4. The inspection lamp of claim 2 further comprising a separator between the lens mount and the LEDs, such that light from each LED cannot pass through the separator to a lens not associated with LED, and light from each LED can pass through the separator to the lens associated with that LED.

5. The inspection lamp of claim 4 wherein the printed circuit board is held in fixed relationship to the lens mount, with a desired distance between the lenses and their associated LEDs.

6. The inspection lamp of claim 2 further comprising a baffle, the baffle including a spacer through which the LEDs project, the spacer for correctly spacing the LEDs with respect to one another for alignment with the lenses, and the baffle including a separator between the, lens mount and the LEDs, such that light from each LED cannot pass through the separator to a lens not associated with LED, and light from each LED can pass through the separator to the lens associated with that LED.

7. The inspection lamp of claim 6 wherein the baffle and lens mount are fixed to one another to limit relative movement of the baffle and the lens mount.

8. The inspection lamp of claim 2 wherein the lens mount has a tubular body extending away from the lenses, and the baffle fits within the tubular body until the separator meets the lens mount about the lenses.

9. The inspection lamp of claim 2 wherein the lens mount and lenses are integrated in a single piece of plastic.

10. The inspection lamp of claim 2 wherein the lens mount and lenses are formed from multiple fused pieces of plastic.

11. The inspection lamp of claim 2 wherein the lens mount has a tubular body extending away from the lenses, and the printed circuit board is fixed to the tubular body.

12. The inspection lamp of claim 1 wherein each lens of the plurality of lenses being disposed forward from each of said light emitting diodes to collimate the radiation from said corresponding one of said light emitting diodes into a beam, such that each beam of radiation individually associated with each of said light emitting diodes projects forward from its lens and a plurality of beams of radiation simultaneously produced by a plurality of the light emitting diodes are substantially superimposed at a distance equal to or greater than 20 inches (50.8 centimetres) from the lenses.

13. The inspection lamp of claim 1 wherein each lens of the plurality of lenses is disposed forward from each of said light emitting diodes to collimate the radiation from said corresponding one of said light emitting diodes into a beam, such that each beam of radiation individually associated with each of said light emitting diodes projects forward from its lens and a plurality of beams of radiation simultaneously produced by a plurality of the light emitting diodes merge together, and wherein a ray of light in any beam passes through no more than one lens.

14. The inspection lamp of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes have a peak wavelength less than 425 nanometers.

15. The inspection lamp of claim 1 wherein each of one or more of the LEDs is offset from an optical center of its associated lens to cause the radiation passing through the lenses to be substantially superimposed to a target area at the target distance.

16. The inspection lamp of claim 1 wherein the head and the handle share a common longitudinal axis.