GB2112917A

GB2112917A - Electric torch

Info

Publication number: GB2112917A
Application number: GB08136973A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Stanley Basnayake
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-12-08
Filing date: 1981-12-08
Publication date: 1983-07-27
Also published as: GB2112917B

Abstract

A circular luminous reflector is provided in an electric torch to assist in showing where the torch is. A similar luminous reflector may be provided instead or as well at the other end of the torch.

Description

SPECIFICATION Electric torches The present invention relates to electric torches According to the present invention there is provided a torch comprising at least one user operable light source and at least one luminous portion for showing where the torch is when the light source(s) is not operating. Preferably the luminous portion is an annular portion surrounding the, or one of the, light sources; each light source may have an associated luminous portion. The surface on which the luminous portion is provided may have an array of formations to enhance its reflectivity.

Inter alia, the invention may be applied to an electric torch adapted to provide simultaneously two beams of light, one to illuminate the way ahead and one to illuminate the ground below the torch; this adaptation may be carried out by providing at the forward end of the torch two light-beam sources such as reflector and bulb assemblies with their beam axes appropriately directed to produce the two beams. The beam axes may be substantially perpendicular so that when the "forward" beam is horizontal, the "ground" is vertical or alternatively they may be inclined at an anyle to one another so that when the forward beam is horizontal, the ground beam is directed at the ground slightly ahead of the user.

This overcomes one of the disadvantages of conventional torches in that to see where one is treading, the torch must be pointed downwardly and this, of course, removes the illumination from the way ahead.

The torch may be adapted to provide simultaneously two beams of light, one to illuminate the way ahead and one to be directed rearwardly to warn vehicles approaching from the rear of the user and/or to help pedestrians following the torch user. The rear beam may be colored e.g. red or white and may be flashing or continuous.

Alternatively two rear beams may be provided one continuous, to assist following pedestrians and the other flashing to warn vehicles approaching from behind.

The torch may be constructed for example in the conventional generally cylindrical configuration with the main cylindrical body of the torch housing electrical cells to energise the bulbs for the ahead and ground beams which are mounted in an enlarged cylindrical head at the forward end of the torch. At the rear end of the torch, one lamp may be provided, suitably coloured red or plain white so that persons following the user can see where he or she is going, while another, flashing bulb may be provided at the rear end to warn vehicles approaching from behind.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a very schematic longitudinal section through one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the directions of the beams emitted from the torch shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevation of the front end of the torch of Figures 1 and 2; and Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a schematic longitudinal section and end elevation of the rear end of a further embodiment of torch according to the present invention.

The torch shown in Figure 1 comprises a main cylindrical body portion 1 having a battery compartment containing five cells such as 2 for energising the various lamps of the torch. At the forward end of the cylindrical body portion lisa cylindrical portion 3 of larger diameter serving to house two light sources 4 and 5 for providing, respectively, the forward and ground beams. As indicated the forward beam source comprises a reflector 6, bulb 7 and cover 8 while the ground beam source 5 correspondingly comprises a reflector 9, bulb 10 and cover 1 As indicated in Figure 2, the reflector and bulb assemblies are arranged so that the forward and ground beams are substantially perpendicular to one another.

Provided on the cover 8 is a circular annular layer of luminous material 1 5 to shown where the front of the torch is even when the bulb is not operating. Placing the layer 1 5 on the transparent cover 1 8 may enable its luminosity to be restored to the bulb 7 when operating. The portion of the torch on which the layer 1 5 is provided, in this case the cover 8, may have a shaped surface e.g.

with an array of pyramidal or similar shaped formations to enable it to reflect light and thereby make it easier to see when illuminated by another light source.

At the rear end 1 b of the torch are a tail lamp 12 to enable people following the user to see where he is and a flashing lamp 13 to warn vehicles. Both these lamps may either use red coloured bulbs or red coloured filters over the bulbs. It may be preferable for the lamps 12 and 1 3 to be provided with suitable reflector assemblies so that their light is not concentrated into a beam like the forward and ground beams but rather is spread over a larger angle to increase the range of directions from which the two rear lamps are visible is as large as possible.

A multi-position switch 1 4 mounted on the body portion 1 enables the use to select the various permutations of the lamp to be operated simultaneously. The reflectors 6 and 9 are arranged so that the forward beam is more concentrated than the ground beam (see Figure 2); this is so that the forward beam has a relatively long range for illuminating objects far r away while the ground beam can be used to illuminate a relatively wide area of the ground because of its relative proximity.

The switch may have for example four position:- 1) Forward beam only 2) Forward and ground beams 3) Forward and ground beams and tail light 4) Foward and ground beams, tail light and flashing rear light.

As well as or instead of the luminous reflector 1 5 a similar luminous reflector 1 5 may be provided at the rear of the torch for similar purposes. For example, in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, such an annular luminous reflector could be provided surrounding the lamps 12 and 1 3. Such a luminous reflector 15' could also be provided at the rear end of a torch having only one lamp 12 or 13 as shown in Figures 4 and 5, where the reflector 15' is concentric with the lamp and its reflector, or even on a torch having no rear light at all.

Claims

1. A torch comprising at least one useroperable light source and at least one luminous portion for showing where the torch is when the light source is not operating.

2. A torch according to claim 1, wherein at least one such luminous portion is provided, surrounding at least one such light source.

3. A torch according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the surface on which at least one such luminous portion is provided has an array of formations for enhancing its reflectivity.

4. A torch according to claim 1, 2 or 3 and adapted so as, in normal use, to provide two beams of light, namely a forward-beam to illuminate the way ahead and a ground-beam to illuminate the ground below the torch.

5. A torch according to claim 4 and having at its forward end two light-beam sources to produce the forward- and ground-beams.

6. A torch according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the forward- and ground-beams are substantially perpendicular to one another.

7. A torch according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the ground beam is forwardly inclined to as directed at the ground slightly ahead of the torch when the forward beam is horizontal.

8. A torch according to any one of the preceding claims and adapted so as, in normal use, to provide two beams of light, namely a forward-beam to illuminate the way ahead and a rearward-beam which is rearwardly directed to vehicles approaching from the rear of the user and/or to help pedestrians following the torch user.

9. A torch according to claim 8 and including a flashing light source to produce the rearwardbeam.

10. A torch according to claim 8 or 9 and including a continuous light source to produce the rearward-beam.

11. A torch according to Claim 8, 9 or 10 and comprising a cylindrical body for housing electrical cells to energise the light sources providing the beams, an enlarged cylindrical head at the forward end of the body and in which are light sources for the forward- and ground-beams and a light source at the rear of the body for providing the rearward beam.

1 2. A torch according to any one of the preceding claims and provided with an operating switch on an upper surface thereof.

13. An electric torch constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.