US2680844A - Lens for flashlights and the like - Google Patents

Lens for flashlights and the like Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2680844A
US2680844A US91278A US9127849A US2680844A US 2680844 A US2680844 A US 2680844A US 91278 A US91278 A US 91278A US 9127849 A US9127849 A US 9127849A US 2680844 A US2680844 A US 2680844A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
lens
rod
glow
base
light
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US91278A
Inventor
Clayton H Smith
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US91278A priority Critical patent/US2680844A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2680844A publication Critical patent/US2680844A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21L—LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF, BEING PORTABLE OR SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TRANSPORTATION
    • F21L4/00—Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
    • F21L4/005—Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells the device being a pocket lamp
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
    • G02B6/0005—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being of the fibre type
    • G02B6/0006—Coupling light into the fibre
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V2200/00—Use of light guides, e.g. fibre optic devices, in lighting devices or systems
    • F21V2200/10—Use of light guides, e.g. fibre optic devices, in lighting devices or systems of light guides of the optical fibres type
    • F21V2200/17—Use of light guides, e.g. fibre optic devices, in lighting devices or systems of light guides of the optical fibres type characterised by the admission of light into the guide

Definitions

  • This invention relates to lenses for electric lamps and more particularly to lenses for flashlights, with special reference to flashlamps employed for traflic control or signalling purposes.
  • a traffic control flashlight having a combined glow and beam emitting elongated rod form of lens which is colored red along its exterior surface and adjustably screwed at its one end onto a metal sleeve adapted to be secured within the lamp bulb supporting and reflector housing end of the flashlight casing.
  • This known flashlight lens is specially designed to give a red glow along the surface of the elongated rod lens and a concentrated beam at the outer end of the rod by passage of the light rays longitudinally along the rod, which is made from a highly transparent plastic material.
  • the present invention provides a lens which comprises a base portion disposed in bordering relationship to a combined glow and beam emitting rod whereby light transmitted from the latter is bounded by light transmitted from said base portion, with considerable and highly advantageous effect compared with the simple rod form of lens, rendering the lens admirably suited for use on electric lamps or flashlights for traflic control or signalling purposes, for example, by pointing the lens at the desired objective, while retaining the full glow rod effect when the lamp or flashlight, with the lens attached thereto is waved like a baton.
  • an object of the invention to provide an improved form of lamp or flashlight lens combining a glow rod and beam action, with the beam action considerably improved by light transmitted through a bordering light transmitting lens portion.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a combination glow rod and beam directing lens with the glow colored by a base portion of the lens rendering the lens suitable for use on an electric lamp or flashlight for trafllc signalling or control purposes.
  • Figure I is a perspective side elevational view of a lens construction in accordance with the invention.
  • Figure II is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the lens of Figure I in operative position in a typical flashlight casing and bulb-reflector assembly.
  • my improved lens is shown constituted by a base 10 and an elongated rod l2, both of solid construction and formed from a light transmitting material, with the rod I2 at least, formed from a highly transparent plastic material along which light rays are capable of being freely transmitted in the form of a rod of light as known in the art appertaining to plastic rod lighting.
  • the base is also formed from the same material as the rod, with both separately formed and adhesively united with one another with any suitable and well known transparent cement or plasticizer.
  • the rod I2 is formed to have a glow characteristic by its exterior surface being rendered dull, as by sandblasting. But the base [0 and the remainder of the rod, including its ends, are left in their clear transparent condition.
  • the base It projects beyond the confines of the adjacent rod end and present an annulus, as shown, through which an area of light is capable of being transmitted in encompassing relationship to the light transmitted by the rod.
  • the base [0 is rendered in a distinctive color, such as red or green, with the rod. including its exterior dulled surface, left in its natural substantially white color.
  • the base l0 may be made to fit into the bulb end of a conventional flashlight casing I 4 in place of the usual lens glass disc and be retained in position by the usual screwed casing collar IS with the rod l2 projecting outwardly from the front of the casing, as shown in Figure II.
  • aflfixing my improved lens against the outer surface of the usual flashlight casing lens This would involve the use of some amxing or attachment device, such as forms no part of my present invention and needs no description herein.
  • the base lens I0 When secured upon a flashlight casing the base lens I0 is located within the area of the light reflector I8 so that light from the lamp 20 is freely transmitted along the rod [2 as well as through the surrounding base I 0.
  • the lens assembly when mounted upon a lamp casing as shown in Figure II will, with the lamp bulb 20 illuminated, give a distinctive red colored glow along its length while at the same follows:
  • a signalling and light emitting lens adapted to be fitted into the bulb end of a conventional flash light casing said lens comprising an elongated glow rod portion adapted to glow along its exterior surface and to project a light beam from its outer end, said glow rod being formed from a highly transparent plastic material permitting the light rays to pass longitudinally therethrough but having its exterior surface rendered dull, a base lens portion of light transmitting material, said glow rod portion abutting at its inner end with said.
  • said base lens portion radially extending beyond the exterior surface of said glow rod in the form of a radial annular flange, through which light rays are capable of being transmitted in encompassing relationship to the light transmitted by said glow rod portion, said annular flange of said base lens being adapted to fit into the bulb end of the flashlight casing, with the peripheral portion of said flange functioning to mount the lens within the flashlight casing and an annular portion of said flange betweenvsaid peripheral portion and exterior surface of said glow rod portion being located within the area of the light reflector of the flashlight casing.

Description

June 8, 1954 c, $M|TH 2,680,844
' LENS FOR FLASHLIGHTS AND THE LIKE Filed May 4, 1949 ELAYTUN HEM/TH A TTOPNEYS Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.
This invention relates to lenses for electric lamps and more particularly to lenses for flashlights, with special reference to flashlamps employed for traflic control or signalling purposes.
In the prior U. S. Patent No. 2,340,530 dated February 1, 1944, there is disclosed a traffic control flashlight having a combined glow and beam emitting elongated rod form of lens which is colored red along its exterior surface and adjustably screwed at its one end onto a metal sleeve adapted to be secured within the lamp bulb supporting and reflector housing end of the flashlight casing. This known flashlight lens is specially designed to give a red glow along the surface of the elongated rod lens and a concentrated beam at the outer end of the rod by passage of the light rays longitudinally along the rod, which is made from a highly transparent plastic material.
In contra-distinction to this known rod form of glow and beam emitting lens the present invention provides a lens which comprises a base portion disposed in bordering relationship to a combined glow and beam emitting rod whereby light transmitted from the latter is bounded by light transmitted from said base portion, with considerable and highly advantageous effect compared with the simple rod form of lens, rendering the lens admirably suited for use on electric lamps or flashlights for traflic control or signalling purposes, for example, by pointing the lens at the desired objective, while retaining the full glow rod effect when the lamp or flashlight, with the lens attached thereto is waved like a baton.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved form of lamp or flashlight lens combining a glow rod and beam action, with the beam action considerably improved by light transmitted through a bordering light transmitting lens portion.
Another object of the invention is to provide a combination glow rod and beam directing lens with the glow colored by a base portion of the lens rendering the lens suitable for use on an electric lamp or flashlight for trafllc signalling or control purposes.
The above and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear clearer from a consideration of the following description with reference to the drawings and from the annexed claim:
In the drawings:
Figure I is a perspective side elevational view of a lens construction in accordance with the invention, and
Figure II is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the lens of Figure I in operative position in a typical flashlight casing and bulb-reflector assembly.
Referring to the drawings; my improved lens is shown constituted by a base 10 and an elongated rod l2, both of solid construction and formed from a light transmitting material, with the rod I2 at least, formed from a highly transparent plastic material along which light rays are capable of being freely transmitted in the form of a rod of light as known in the art appertaining to plastic rod lighting. Conveniently, the base is also formed from the same material as the rod, with both separately formed and adhesively united with one another with any suitable and well known transparent cement or plasticizer.
The rod I2 is formed to have a glow characteristic by its exterior surface being rendered dull, as by sandblasting. But the base [0 and the remainder of the rod, including its ends, are left in their clear transparent condition.
The base It projects beyond the confines of the adjacent rod end and present an annulus, as shown, through which an area of light is capable of being transmitted in encompassing relationship to the light transmitted by the rod.
To adopt the lens for traflic control or signalling purposes the base [0 is rendered in a distinctive color, such as red or green, with the rod. including its exterior dulled surface, left in its natural substantially white color.
The base l0 may be made to fit into the bulb end of a conventional flashlight casing I 4 in place of the usual lens glass disc and be retained in position by the usual screwed casing collar IS with the rod l2 projecting outwardly from the front of the casing, as shown in Figure II. Alternatively, provision could well be made for aflfixing my improved lens against the outer surface of the usual flashlight casing lens. This would involve the use of some amxing or attachment device, such as forms no part of my present invention and needs no description herein.
When secured upon a flashlight casing the base lens I0 is located within the area of the light reflector I8 so that light from the lamp 20 is freely transmitted along the rod [2 as well as through the surrounding base I 0.
With the base colored red, for example, and the rod left in its natural substantially white color the lens assembly, when mounted upon a lamp casing as shown in Figure II will, with the lamp bulb 20 illuminated, give a distinctive red colored glow along its length while at the same follows:
A signalling and light emitting lens adapted to be fitted into the bulb end of a conventional flash light casing said lens comprising an elongated glow rod portion adapted to glow along its exterior surface and to project a light beam from its outer end, said glow rod being formed from a highly transparent plastic material permitting the light rays to pass longitudinally therethrough but having its exterior surface rendered dull, a base lens portion of light transmitting material, said glow rod portion abutting at its inner end with said. base lens portion, said base lens portion radially extending beyond the exterior surface of said glow rod in the form of a radial annular flange, through which light rays are capable of being transmitted in encompassing relationship to the light transmitted by said glow rod portion, said annular flange of said base lens being adapted to fit into the bulb end of the flashlight casing, with the peripheral portion of said flange functioning to mount the lens within the flashlight casing and an annular portion of said flange betweenvsaid peripheral portion and exterior surface of said glow rod portion being located within the area of the light reflector of the flashlight casing.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,288,093 Kafienberger et al. June 30, 1942 2,336,136 Thomson et a1. Dec. 7, 1943 2,340,530 Hefner Feb.- 1, 1944 2,431,091 Thomas Nov. 1.8-, 1 947 -2',43T4,741 Hefner et al. Jan. 20, 1948
US91278A 1949-05-04 1949-05-04 Lens for flashlights and the like Expired - Lifetime US2680844A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US91278A US2680844A (en) 1949-05-04 1949-05-04 Lens for flashlights and the like

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US91278A US2680844A (en) 1949-05-04 1949-05-04 Lens for flashlights and the like

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2680844A true US2680844A (en) 1954-06-08

Family

ID=22226969

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US91278A Expired - Lifetime US2680844A (en) 1949-05-04 1949-05-04 Lens for flashlights and the like

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US2680844A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2838750A (en) * 1956-11-19 1958-06-10 Rose Edward Harold Multi-directional flashlight lens adapters
US4085436A (en) * 1976-10-14 1978-04-18 Allen Weiss Ring light converter for electronic flash units
US4740874A (en) * 1985-12-05 1988-04-26 Wylie Bruce E Wylie-lite
US5584565A (en) * 1995-12-28 1996-12-17 Berg; Aaron R. Tool with workpiece illumination

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2288093A (en) * 1941-06-19 1942-06-30 Norbert F A Kaffenberger Combined tool handle and lamp
US2336136A (en) * 1943-07-27 1943-12-07 Donald C Thomson Screw driver
US2340530A (en) * 1941-07-14 1944-02-01 George D Hefner Combination traffic control and flashlight device
US2431091A (en) * 1945-06-25 1947-11-18 Robert B Thomas Multicolored electric flashlight
US2434741A (en) * 1945-10-18 1948-01-20 George D Hefner Traffic control light

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2288093A (en) * 1941-06-19 1942-06-30 Norbert F A Kaffenberger Combined tool handle and lamp
US2340530A (en) * 1941-07-14 1944-02-01 George D Hefner Combination traffic control and flashlight device
US2336136A (en) * 1943-07-27 1943-12-07 Donald C Thomson Screw driver
US2431091A (en) * 1945-06-25 1947-11-18 Robert B Thomas Multicolored electric flashlight
US2434741A (en) * 1945-10-18 1948-01-20 George D Hefner Traffic control light

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2838750A (en) * 1956-11-19 1958-06-10 Rose Edward Harold Multi-directional flashlight lens adapters
US4085436A (en) * 1976-10-14 1978-04-18 Allen Weiss Ring light converter for electronic flash units
US4740874A (en) * 1985-12-05 1988-04-26 Wylie Bruce E Wylie-lite
US5584565A (en) * 1995-12-28 1996-12-17 Berg; Aaron R. Tool with workpiece illumination

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2362131A (en) Luminous baton
US5412548A (en) Multi-function lighting device
US2981827A (en) Light-reflecting lens
US20070053203A1 (en) Illumination device
DK0897512T3 (en) flagpole lamp
ATE328791T1 (en) LAMP BODY WITH VISIBLE AND INFRARED LIGHTING ELEMENTS
US1415465A (en) Signal light for automobiles
US2190035A (en) Traffic signal
US2680844A (en) Lens for flashlights and the like
US2699515A (en) Lamp construction
US2343754A (en) Sealed type tail, stop, and direction signal
US2647254A (en) Combined flashlight and emergency light
US2760185A (en) Signaling device
US2119486A (en) Flashlight
US1500912A (en) Lamp for vehicle headlights and the like
US1219583A (en) Headlight-dimmer.
US2304742A (en) Flashlight
US2360138A (en) Signaling device
US2223059A (en) Direction signal
US909507A (en) Prism for electric lamps.
US2521251A (en) Sight tube for lamps
US2777121A (en) Multicolored flashlights
US2078986A (en) Light ray projector
US2064501A (en) Combined lens and reflector
US1453006A (en) Lighting means for surgical and other purposes