GB2330404A

GB2330404A - Lighting device comprising two engageable lighting means

Info

Publication number: GB2330404A
Application number: GB9722042A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kan Wing Tam
Original assignee: ALLIANCE IND CO Ltd
Current assignee: ALLIANCE IND CO Ltd
Priority date: 1997-10-17
Filing date: 1997-10-17
Publication date: 1999-04-21
Also published as: GB9722042D0

Abstract

Lighting device comprising two detachably engageable member, 12, 14, each having a lighting means. The second member 14 may be slidably inserted within a channel in the first member 12 such that when it is removed the channel provides a handle for the first member. A clutching means 32 may be provided to retain the second member 14 within the first member 12. The first member 12 may comprise a fluorescent tube 18 and a light bulb, the second member may comprise a light bulb, the two lighting means may be operable independently of each other.

Description

An Electric Lighting Device This invention relates to an electric lighting device and, in particular, a lighting device having two detachably engageable parts each having a lighting means.

There are existing lighting devices including more than one lighting means, for example, a fluorescent tube and a light bulb. However, in such conventional lighting devices, the plurality of light means are fixed to a single body portion, which means that it is not possible to separate the plurality of lighting means, each to be held and used by a different user, should the need arise.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric lighting device in which the above shortcoming is mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electric lighting device comprising a first member having at least one first lighting means, and a second member having at least one second lighting means, wherein the first member and the second member are detachably engageable with each other.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. I is a side view of an electric lighting device according to the present invention in which the first and second members are engaged with each other; Fig. 2 is a top view of the lighting device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the lighting device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a front view of the lighting device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the lighting device taken along the Line A-A in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side view of the first member of the lighting device shown in Fig. 1 with the second member disengaged therefrom; Fig. 7 is a partial side view of the first member shown in Fig. 6 with the back cover opened; Fig. 8 is a side view of the second member of the lighting device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a top view of the second member shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a front view of the second member shown in Fig. 8.

Figs. 1 to 4 show an electric lighting device according to the present invention as generally designated as 10. The electric lighting device 10 includes an outer lighting member 12 and an inner lighting member 14 which are detachably engaged with each other.

Referring first to the outer lighting member 12, such includes a switch 16 slidable to control the operation of a fluorescent tube 18 and a light bulb (not shown here for clarity purposes) covered by a coloured screen 20. As shown in Fig. 5, the outer lighting member 12 has a compartment 22 for receiving batteries 24 for powering the fluorescent tube 18 and the light bulb. At the rear end of the outer lighting member 12 is a printed circuit board (PCB) 25 with a circuitry built onto it, for stepping up the electric voltage from the batteries 24 to operate the fluorescent tube 18 and the light bulb, so that the light bulb can produce blinking effect.

As shown in Fig. 7, the outer lighting member 12 has a back cover 26 which is swivellable about the rest of the outer lighting member 12, to allow batteries 24 to be inserted into or removed from the compartment 22.

As can be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, when the inner lighting member 14 is inserted into the outer lighting member 12 through a tunnel 28 of the outer lighting member 12, it is retained in the engaged position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 by a clutch 30, which is biassed towards the position as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, acting against one of two recesses 32 of the inner lighting member 14. At the bottom of the inner lighting member 14 is a spring 34 which biasses the inner lighting member 14 away from the outer lighting member 12 when the clutch 30 is released from the recess 32.

As shown in Fig. 6, when the inner lighting member 14 is disengaged from the outer lighting member 12, a user may hold the outer lighting member 12 conveniently by inserting his/her fingers through a cavity 36 and thus gripping a handle 38. On the handle 38 are provided a number of grooves 40 for enhancing the gripping action.

Turning to the inner lighting member 14, the operation of a light bulb 42 is controlled by a switch 44, and powered by batteries 46. A reflector 48 is provided to focus the light emitted by the light bulb 42. The inner lighting member 14 is sized and configured to be conveniently held by a hand of a user.

It is clear from the foregoing that while this invention preserves the advantage of having more than one lighting means in a single lighting device, if and when necessary, it is possible to separate the two lighting members 12 and 14 into two stand-alone lighting devices, each to be held and used by a respective user.

It should be understood that the above only illustrates an embodiment for carrying out the present invention, and that it is possible to make alterations and/or modifications to this embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:- 1. An electric lighting device comprising a first member having a first lighting means, and a second member having a second lighting means, characterized in that said first member and said second member are detachably engageable with each other.
2. A device according to Claim 1 further characterized in that said first member is slidably movable relative to said second member.
3. A device according to Claim 2 further characterised in that said first member is slidably movable relative to said second member to engage with or disengage from said second member.
4. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said first member comprises channel means through which said second member is receivable.
5. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said first member comprises retaining means to retain said second member when said first member and said second member are engaged with each other.
6. A device according to Claim 5 further characterised in that said retaining means comprises a clutching member.
7. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said first member comprises handle means which, when said second member is disengaged from said first member, is holdable by a hand of a user.
8. A device according to Claim 7 further characterised in that said handle means comprises at least one handle member.
9. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said first lighting means comprises a fluorescent tube.
10. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said first lighting means comprises a light bulb.
11. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said second lighting means comprises a light bulb.
12. A device according to any of the preceding claims further characterised in that said first lighting means and said second lighting means are operable independently from each other.
13. An electric lighting device substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.