Lighting device with switchable light sources

• US 8,182,109 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Matthews, John W., Picciotta, Michael D., Wells, William
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/702,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 362196-206
• US Class Current: 362/199
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/025 the light sources being of different shape or type
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

Various lighting device implementations and related methods may be used to selectively provide various types of light in response to user-actuated controls. In one example, a lighting device includes a plurality of light sources, a body, a head, and one or more controls adapted to adjust operation of the light sources. The body includes a housing. The head includes a bezel adapted to rotate relative to the body to select between at least a first one of the light sources and a second one of the light sources. The head also includes a lens adapted to rotate eccentrically relative to a centerline of the head in response to rotation of the bezel. The lens includes a light inlet adapted to be selectively positioned over the first light source, the second light source, or neither of the light sources as the lens rotates eccentrically relative to the centerline of the head.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a body comprising a housing;

a head comprising;

a bezel adapted to rotate relative to the body to select between at least a first one of the light sources and a second one of the light sources, and

a lens adapted to rotate eccentrically relative to a centerline of the head in response to rotation of the bezel, wherein the lens comprises a light inlet adapted to be selectively positioned over the first light source, the second light source, or neither of the light sources as the lens rotates eccentrically relative to the centerline of the head; and

one or more controls adapted to adjust operation of the light sources.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a mounting surface adapted to engage with a rail clamp mount to attach the lighting device to a weapon.

3. The lighting device of claim 2, wherein the housing is adapted to be gripped by a user to pull the lighting device toward the user while the lighting device is mounted on the weapon.

4. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an external surface that is inclined relative to a direction of light provided by the lighting device, wherein at least one of the controls is positioned on the inclined external surface to permit convenient access to the one of the controls while the lighting device is mounted on a weapon.

5. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the one of the controls is a dome switch.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the controls comprise a first rotary switch adapted to adjust operation of the first light source and a second rotary switch adapted to adjust operation of the second light source, wherein the first and second rotary switches are on substantially opposite sides of the housing.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a connector adapted to receive a remote switch to operate at least one of the light sources.

8. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a lock ring adapted to be grasped by a user to rotate the bezel.

9. The lighting device of claim 8, wherein the lock ring is adapted to slide between a locked position and an unlocked position to prevent rotation of the bezel while the lock ring is in the locked position and permit rotation of the bezel while the lock ring is in the unlocked position.

10. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a magnet fixed relative to the bezel, wherein the magnet is adapted to rotate with the bezel.

11. The lighting device of claim 10, further comprising a Hall effect sensor adapted to detect a proximity of the magnet relative to the Hall effect sensor and provide one or more control signals to selectively switch at least one of the light sources on or off based on the detected proximity.

12. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes (LEDs).

13. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the first light source comprises a first group of LEDs and the second light source comprises a second group of LEDs.

14. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein first light source is adapted to provide light of a first wavelength and the second light source is adapted to provide light of a second wavelength.

15. The lighting device of claim 14, wherein the first light source is a white light source and the second light source is an infrared light source.

16. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the head further comprises an indicator button adapted to selectively expand and retract in response to the rotation of the bezel to provide tactile feedback to a user to indicate whether the first light source has been selected.

17. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the head further comprises:

a pin adapted to rotate with the bezel to move the indicator button from a retracted position to an expanded position in response the rotation of the bezel to a selected position to select the first light source; and

a spring adapted to return the indicator button to the retracted position as the pin rotates with the bezel away from the selected position.

18. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the lens is a substantially flat lens.

19. A method of operating a lighting device, the lighting device comprising a plurality of light sources, a head comprising a bezel, a lens, and a lock ring, a body comprising a housing, and one or more controls adapted to adjust operation of the light sources, the method comprising:

urging the lock ring from a locked position to an unlocked position, wherein the lock ring is adapted to prevent rotation of the bezel while the lock ring is in the locked position and permit rotation of the bezel while the lock ring is in the unlocked position;

rotating the bezel to select a first one of the light sources or a second one of the light sources, wherein the rotating causes the lens to rotate eccentrically relative to a centerline of the head, wherein the lens comprises a light inlet adapted to be selectively positioned over the first light source, the second light source, or neither of the light sources as the lens rotates eccentrically relative to the centerline of the head; and

returning the lock ring to the locked position.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the body comprises a mounting surface adapted to engage with a rail clamp mount, the method further comprising mounting the lighting device to a weapon using the rail clamp mount.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the housing is adapted to be gripped by a user, the method further comprising gripping the housing and pulling the lighting device toward the user while the lighting device is mounted on the weapon.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the housing comprises an external surface that is inclined relative to a direction of light provided by the lighting device, wherein at least one of the controls is positioned on the inclined external surface to permit convenient access to the one of the controls while the lighting device is mounted on a weapon, the method further comprising adjusting operation of the selected one of the light sources using the one of the controls.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the one of the controls is a dome switch.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the controls comprise a first rotary switch adapted to operate the first light source and a second rotary switch adapted to operate the second light source, wherein the first and second rotary switches are on substantially opposite sides of the housing, the method further comprising adjusting operation of the selected one of the light sources using one of the rotary switches.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the body comprises a connector adapted to receive a remote switch to operate at least one of the light sources, the method further comprising:

attaching the remote switch to the lighting device through the connector; and

adjusting operation of the selected one of the light sources using the remote switch.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the head comprises a magnet fixed relative to the bezel, wherein the magnet is adapted to rotate with the bezel.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the lighting device further comprises a Hall effect sensor adapted to detect a proximity of the magnet relative to the Hall effect sensor and provide one or more control signals to selectively switch at least one of the light sources on or off based on the detected proximity as the rotating is performed.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes (LEDs).

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first light source comprises a first group of LEDs and the second light source comprises a second group of LEDs.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein first light source is adapted to provide light of a first wavelength and the second light source is adapted to provide light of a second wavelength.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first light source is a white light source and the second light source is an infrared light source.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the lens is a substantially flat lens.

33. A lighting system comprising:

a lighting device comprising;

a plurality of light sources,

a body comprising a housing, a connector, and a mounting surface,

a head comprising;

a bezel adapted to rotate relative to the body to select between at least a first one of the light sources and a second one of the light sources, and

a lens adapted to rotate eccentrically relative to a centerline of the head in response to rotation of the bezel, wherein the lens comprises a light inlet adapted to be selectively positioned over the first light source, the second light source, or neither of the light sources as the lens rotates eccentrically relative to the centerline of the head, and

one or more controls adapted to adjust operation of the light sources;

a remote switch, wherein the connector is adapted to receive the remote switch to control at least one of the light sources; and

a rail clamp mount, wherein the mounting surface is adapted to engage with the rail clamp mount to attach the lighting device to a weapon.

34. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a body comprising a housing;

a head comprising;

a bezel adapted to rotate relative to the body to select between at least a first one of the light sources and a second one of the light sources, and

a reflector adapted to rotate eccentrically relative to a centerline of the head in response to rotation of the bezel, wherein the reflector comprises a light inlet adapted to be selectively positioned over the first light source, the second light source, or neither of the light sources as the reflector rotates eccentrically relative to the centerline of the head; and

one or more controls adapted to adjust operation of the light sources.

35. The lighting device of claim 34, wherein the reflector is a substantially parabolic reflector.