| 1. | A LED illuminator or an equivalent illuminator for a headgear or equivalent, said illuminator comprising two or more light emitting semiconductor light sources (4, 14), especially LEDs (Light Emitting Diode), a frame (1 , 2, 11 , 12), and control means (5) for controlling the illuminator, wherein the semicon¬ ductor light sources are directed in at least one given direction, such as towards a working object and/or area, characterized in that the illuminator is provided with a dim switch (9, 19) capable of con¬ trolling the operation of the illuminator due to the environmental light conditions. |
| 2. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the dim switch (9, 19) is arranged in the vicinity of light emitting semiconductor light sources (4, 14) directed essentially in the same direction. |
| 3. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the light emitting semiconductor light sources (4, 14) are arranged in a row, and the dim switch is arranged in the same row as the light emitting semiconductor light sources, preferably in the middle of them. |
| 4. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the operation of the dim switch is controlled with the control means. |
| 5. | The illuminator according to claim 4, characterized in that the control means is provided with a switch (6) for controlling the operation of the illuminator, whereby the operation of the dim switch is also controlled with the switch (6). |
| 6. | The illuminator according to claim 5, characterized in that the dim switch (9) is controlled by steering the switch in a certain way and thereby being able to the switch on/off the dim operation. |
| 7. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that mod¬ ule is also provided with UV LEDs so that at least some of the LEDs are UV LEDs, especially for use by authorities. |
| 8. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the module is also provided with IR LEDs so that at least some of the LEDs are IR LEDs. |
| 9. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a switch (6) arranged in conjunction with the visor operating as a frame, preferably under the visor. |
| 10. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is a watertight (IP class 55 and upwards) encapsulated LED unit designed to be attached to protective helmets (motor vehicle drivers' helmets, miners' helmets, professional divers' helmets). |
| 11. | The illuminator according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises different and differently colored semiconductor light sources, which work together or separately. |
The present invention relates to a LED illuminator or an equivalent illuminator for a headgear or equivalent comprising one or more light emitting semiconductor light sources, especially LEDs (Light Emitting Diode), a frame, and a control part for controlling the semiconductor light sources.
For example in orienteering, when orienteering is done in darkness, forehead-lamps consisting of an incandescent illuminator and a power source attached to a forehead band are used. The forehead-lamp has a good illuminat- ing efficiency, and its placement on the forehead band allows the person to move freely in the terrain and read the map without the person having to carry any hand-held illuminator in his/her hands.
The biggest drawback of present forehead-lamps is the large size of the incandescent illuminators and the high power consumption of the incan- descent lamp. This also requires a large power source. In addition, due to the large size of the incandescent illuminators, present forehead-lamps are rela¬ tively ugly in appearance.
For example, specification US-B2-6,659,618 discloses an illumina¬ tor attached to a cap and using a light source consisting of a number of sepa- rate LEDs placed side by side. The LED has a very low power consumption and also a very small size, so it can be used to form illuminators of a relatively small size.
A drawback with the solution disclosed in the aforesaid US specifi¬ cation is that it is difficult to fit the illuminator inside the visor of the cap, and, as it consists of several separate LED units, it also requires a relatively large space. Further, it is relatively difficult to use.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of prior art and to create a compact LED illuminator module for a headgear or equivalent that can be easily fixed and allows the illuminator to be very effec- tively precision-aimed at a desired target and which illuminator can be easily used with help of a dim switch.
The details of the features of the solution of the invention are pre¬ sented in the attached claims.
By using the invention, it is possible to produce precision-directed LED illuminator modules integrated with a headgear, which are applicable for personal use e.g. in caps, surgeon's headgear, helmets, such as protective
helmets, and in diving masks which can be operated automatically with a dim switch.
It is also possible to use different and differently colored light mod¬ ules, which work together or separately. They may be fixed or movable. They are precision positioned / precision directed in a given direction. The aim is to illuminate the target and to make both hands free for only the intended action, such as e.g. a LED illuminator attached to a cap according to the personal "Led It See" illuminator system as illustrated in Fig. 1. It can also be attached to a helmet or diving mask etc. In the following, the invention will be described in detail with refer¬ ence to an example and the attached drawing, wherein
Fig. 1 presents a LED illuminator attached to a cap or equivalent, and
Fig. 2 and 3 present another LED illuminator according to the in- vention in an opened position as seen from above and from below.
Fig. 1 presents a LED illuminator module according to the inven¬ tion, designed to be attached to a headgear and comprising a frame 1 , 2, a rec¬ tangular LED unit 3, which for example in Fig. 1 consists of five LEDs 4 placed side by side, and an electronics part 5, which is provided with a switch 6. A bat- tery or the like for the supply of electric power to the illuminator can be mounted separately and is not shown in Fig. 1.
The frame 1 , 2 consists of two curved visor-shaped frame parts 1 , 2 placed one over the other, which can be folded against each other so that the visor remains between them, and they can be fastened to the visor and to each other by means of push-on snap-on fasteners 7, so the illuminator can be easily attached to the visor and detached from it when necessary. The visor with these frame parts forms thus the frame of the LED illuminator and can then be addi¬ tionally coated e.g. with fabric. The electronics part 5 is connected to the back part of the frame part 1 , 2, so it will not be a hindrance to the aiming of the LEDs.
In a corresponding manner, it is possible to implement a LED illu¬ minator (figures 2 - 3) designed to be attached to the visor of a helmet and comprising a LED unit 13 with LEDs 14 and rectangular frame parts 11 , 12, which can be folded together in a corresponding manner and fastened by means of snap-on fasteners. The frame part can be provided with an opening 18 for the electronics part and with holes 17 for the fasteners.
The LED control electronics consist of a micro-processor, resistors controlling each LED, a operation switch and a direct-current source. The lumi¬ nous efficiency of the illuminator can be varied by varying the number and lumi¬ nous efficiency of the parallel LEDs. The control electronics further have a dim switch 9, 19 controlling the operation of the illuminator due to the environmental light conditions being placed in the same row as the LEDs 4, 14 in the middle of them. The dim switch operates so that the LEDs are switched on when it is dark and they are switched off when it is light in the vicinity of the person wearing the cap or other headgear.
The switch 6 can be a push button and simply switch the illuminator on/off. The switch 6 can however control also the operation of the dim switch 9 for example so that pressing the switch 6 a longer time, e.g. 2 s, the dim opera¬ tion can be switched on, and afterwards by pressing the switch shortly the dim switch operation can be switched off.
Figs 4a and 4b present a cap 41 with a visor 42 whereby the cap is provided with a LED illuminator with the visor operating as a frame, LEDs 4 in¬ tegrated to the visor so that the LEDs are fastened to the outer rim of the visor and thus illuminate the area in front of the person and a dim switch 9 as de- scribed in Fig. 1. The battery casing 43 with a battery inside is fastened to the backside of the cap, and the push button operating as a switch is shown on the under side of the visor.
It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that different embodi¬ ments of the invention are not limited to the example described above, but that they may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. It may also be a water-tight (IP class 55 and upwards) encapsulated LED unit designed to be attached to protective helmets (motor vehicle drivers' helmets, miners' hel¬ mets, professional divers' helmets). The module can also be provided with UV LEDs for use by authorities (for determining the authenticity of personal docu- ments etc. on a road, in situ). Likewise, IR LEDs can be used for special func¬ tions. The structure of the precision-directed LED unit is the same in all applica¬ tions. Vertical as well as azimuth alignment is done manually.
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