EP0258373B1

EP0258373B1 - Bookcover and reading light assembly

Info

Publication number: EP0258373B1
Application number: EP87901566A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carl Fisherman; Eric Beare
Original assignee: Photo Audio Consumer Electronics Marketing Corp
Current assignee: Photo Audio Consumer Electronics Marketing Corp
Priority date: 1986-03-03
Filing date: 1987-03-03
Publication date: 1991-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-03
Also published as: GB8704903D0; CA1296310C; AU7086387A; JPH072436B2; EP0258373A1; GB2189019B; JPS63502814A; WO1987005266A1; ES2005108A6; GB2189019A

Abstract

A bookcover (10), which can be removably mounted on a book, has a housing (17) on its spine (11) and a reading light (19, 22) powered by batteries (24) accommodated in the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the housing has two compartments one (18a) housing the batteries and the other (18b) accommodating a stem (19) of the light, when the latter is in a retracted position. In an alternative embodiment the light is pivotably mounted on the housing.

Description

This invention relates to a bookcover and reading light assembly.
CH-A-197870 discloses a bookcover and reading light assembly in accordance with the pre-characterizing part of claim 1. FR-A-2271051 discloses a bookcover having a housing for receiving batteries and a reading light swivellably connected to the housing.
According to the invention, there is provided a bookcover and reading light assembly wherein the bookcover can be mounted on and removed from a book and wherein the reading light is integrated with the bookcover and is movable between operative and inoperative positions, the reading light housing a movable head provided with a lamp characterized in that the reading light has a stem connected to the head, the stem being translationally extendible out of a housing on a spine of the bookcover and retractable into the housing.
Preferably, the head extends across and conforms with the open end of the housing to close the housing when the stem is retracted.
Advantageously, the housing has two compartments, one for housing batteries for energising the light and the other for accommodating the stem of the light when the latter is in a retracted position.
Preferably, the stem has one or more bendable and/or twistable sections and is able to retain a set position.
Conveniently, the assembly further comprises switching means for automatically energising and de-energising the light as it is extended and retracted, respectively.
The invention thus provides a light for night time reading which will disturb the reader's spouse or fellow aircraft travellers. It at the same time provides privacy, if required, as to the title of the book being read and is both compact and portable.
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a developed view of the inside of one embodiment of a bookcover and reading light assembly according to the invention with the reading light partly extended,
Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through the bookcover with the reading light shown in a retracted position in which the stem of the reading light is accommodated in a housing integral with the spine of the bookcover.
Figure 3 is an end view of the bookcover and reading light assembly shown mounted on a book and opened out, parts of the housing being removed to show the inside thereof and the stem of the light being shown in section,
Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the bookcover mounted on a book and the stem of the reading light in a retracted position,
Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing the housing in section with the stem of the reading light partially extended, and
Referring now to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, the bookcover and reading light assembly shown therein comprises a flexible cover 10 which could be of plastics material, e.g. polyvinyl chloride, and which has a spine 11, front and back leaves 12 and 13 respectively, and pockets 14 and 15 in the leaves 12 and 13, respectively, which pockets enable the bookcover to be removably placed on a book 9 (see Figures 3 and 4).

The front and back leaves may have a scored or corrugated portion 16 which allows the cover 10 to fold more easily and accommodate books of different thicknesses. If corrugated, portion 16 may be stretchable to fit books of different sizes
A rigid or semi-rigid housing 17 is secured to or integrally formed with the spine 11 of the cover. This housing 17 defines a compartment 18a which accommodates one or more batteries 24 and a compartment 18b which accommodates a stem 19 of a reading light. The compartments 18a and 18b are separated by a partition wall 25 and the compartment 18a is closed at the top and has an openable door 27 at the bottom for changing the batteries. The stem 19 is telescopically extendible from and retractable into the compartment 18b and has a stop member 20 which holds the stem captive with respect to the housing 17 by co-operation with a collar 28 fixed to the top of the compartment 18b. The stem 19 also has one or more bendable and/or twistable sections 21, and a head 22 accommodating a reflector and a replaceable light bulb 23 which is connected to the batteries by wires 26 extending through the stem 19. The head 22 is pivotably connected to the stem 19 by a collar 29.
The bendable and/or twistable sections 21 allow the head 22 of the light to be set in a desired position, the sections 21 being so designed that the head 22 can retain its set position.
The head 22 is shaped to conform with the cross-sectional shape of the housing 17 so that when the light is rectracted the head 22 extends across and conforms with the open end of the housing 17 to close the latter as shown best in Figure 4. Moreover, as shown the housing 17 is shorter than the spine 11 to define a space for receiving the head 22 when the light is retracted. Thus the light is compactly stored when not in use.
The light may be automatically energised as it is extended from the compartment 18b and automatically de-energised as it is retracted into the compartment 18b. This can be achieved by an appropriate mechanical arrangement which ensures that electrical contacts are made as the light is extended and broken as the light is retracted.
In the embodiment shown the battery compartment 18a includes a metal contact 30 mounted (see Figure 5) at its upper end, which extends into compartment 18b and includes one end 30a for contact with batteries 24 and a second end 30b for contact with stem 19, in a manner to be explained. In addition, compartment 18b includes an elongate L-shaped metal contact 31 disposed therein which has one end 31a connected to the lower end of batteries 24 and an upper end 31b for contact with stem 19, in a manner to be explained. Wires 26 connected to the light bulb 23 are connected to metal contacts 32 and 33 mounted on stop member 20. As the stem 19 moves in and out relative to compartment 18b, metal contact 33 always remains in contact with metal contact 31. Thus, it is only when metal contact 32 is brought into contact with metal contact 30b that the electrical circuit is completed and operates to turn on the light bulb 23. This occurs when the stem 19 is moved in an upward direction within compartment 36 to its extended position.
Alternatively the light may be provided with a manually operable on/off switch on the head 22 or on the outside of the housing 17.
A page mark (not shown) may be connected to the bookcover. This page mark could be, for example, in the form of a ribbon which could have a fresnel-screen magnifier attached thereto.
The above embodiment is given by way of example only and many modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bookcover and reading light assembly wherein the bookcover can be mounted on and removed from a book and wherein the reading light is integrated with the bookcover and is movable between operative and inoperative positions, the reading light housing a movable head (22) provided with a lamp (23) characterized in that the reading light has a stem (19) connected to the head, the stem (19) being translationally extendible out of a housing (17) on a spine of the bookcover and retractable into the housing (17).

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the head (22) extends across and conforming with the open end of the housing to close the housing (17) when the stem (10) is retracted.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that the housing (17) has two compartments (18a, 18b), one for housing batteries (24) for energising the light and the other for accommodating the stem (19) of the light when the latter is in the retracted position.

4. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the stem (19) has one or more bendable and/or twistable sections (21) and is able to retain a set position.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the head (22) accommodates a reflector.

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further characterized by switching means (30-33) for automatically energising and de-energising the light as it is extended and retracted respectively.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the switching means includes a first contact (32) on said light and a second contact (30) in said housing (17), said first contact (32) being moved out of engagement with said second contact (30) when the light is moved to said retracted position, to de-energise the light, and said first contact (32) being moved into engagement with said second contact (30) when the light is moved to an extended position to energise said light.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover comprises one or more scored or corrugated portions (16) so that it can fit books of different thicknesses or sizes.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the portions are corrugated and stretchable.