GB2189019A

GB2189019A - Bookcover and reading light assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2189019A
Application number: GB08704903A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Fisherman; Eric Beare
Original assignee: PHOTO AUDIO CONSUMER ELECT; Photo Audio Consumer Electronics Marketing Corp
Current assignee: PHOTO AUDIO CONSUMER ELECT; Photo Audio Consumer Electronics Marketing Corp
Priority date: 1986-03-03
Filing date: 1987-03-03
Publication date: 1987-10-14
Also published as: GB8704903D0; EP0258373B1; CA1296310C; AU7086387A; JPH072436B2; EP0258373A1; GB2189019B; JPS63502814A; WO1987005266A1; ES2005108A6

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

SPECIFICATION Bookcover and reading light assembly This invention relates to a bookcover and reading light assembly.

According to a first aspect of the present 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 an extendible/retractable reading light integrated with the bookcover, the light having a stem which, when the light is in a retracted position, is accommodated in a housing on a spine of the bookcover.

Preferably, the light is held captive relative to the housing.

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.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a bookcover and reading light assembly wherein the bookcover can be mounted on and removed from a book, and has a housing on a spine thereof for housing batteries, and wherein the reading light is swivellably connected to the housing for movement between extended and retracted positions.

The invention thus provides a light for night time reading which will not 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 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 Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a bookcover and reading light assembly according to the invention, shown mounted on a book.

Referring now to Figs. 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 Figs. 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 1 8a 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 1 8a 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 1 7 so that when the light is rectracted the head 22 extends across and conforms with the open end of the housing 1 7 to close the latter as shown best in Fig. 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 1 8a includes a metal contact 30 mounted (see Fig. 5) at its upper end, which extends into compartment 1 8b 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 1 8b includes an elongate L-shaped metal contact 31 disposed therein which has one end 31 a 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 the on 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.

Turning now to Fig. 6, the bookcover and reading light assembly shown comprises an elongate battery housing 117 mounted on the spine 111 of the bookcover for housing the batteries. In this embodiment, a supporting arm 119 of the light is pivotally mounted at 140 on the outside of housing 117 and includes a reflector housing 122 and a light bulb 123. In addition, in order to adjust the direction of light, there is a pivot connection 142 between reflector housing 122 and the supporting arm 119. In this embodiment, electrical contact with the batteries within housing 117 is made by electrical wires extending from the battery housing 117 through the arm 119 and connected to light bulb 123.

The above embodiments are 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 an extendible/retractable reading light integrated with the bookcover, the light having a stem which, when the light is in a retracted position, is accommodated in a housing on a spine of the bookcover.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light is held captive relative to the housing.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein 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.

4. An assembly as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the stem has one or more bendable and/or twistable sections and is able to retain a set position.

5. An assembly as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the light has a head at one end of the stem, the head accommodating a reflector and a light bulb, and closing off said housing when the stem is in a retracted position.

6. An assembly as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, and further comprising switching means for automatically energising and de-energising the light as it is extended and retracted, respectively.

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

8. An assembly as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the cover comprises one or-more scored or corrugated portions so that it can fit books of different thicknesses or sizes.

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

10. A bookcover and reading light assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A bookcover and reading light assembly wherein the bookcover can be mounted on and removed from a book, and has a housing on a spine thereof for housing batteries, and wherein the reading light is swivellably connected to the housing for movement between extended and retracted positions.

12. A bookcover and reading light assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.