Of

Mark Hepplestone

for

A Torch including a hand strap

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hand-directed torches, in particular to a torch including a hand strap.

Background

In numerous fields of a activity it is useful to hold a light source and to direct it in a particular direction, without using a hand, so freeing both of the user's hands for other tasks. Numerous devices have been proposed to achieve this, such a head torches, wrist mounted torches, and gloves including torches. Devices of the prior art all have shortcomings. Head torches are disadvantageous when being used with other people present, as they are always directed in the direction that the user is looking, and so can result in dazzling when facing another person. Wrist-mounted torches are disadvantageous as they are directed by movement of the whole forearm, which is slow and laborious. Glove-form illuminators of the prior art are incompatible with other, for example protective gloves, and other items of hand-held equipment, for example shields as used in police work, and are slow and laborious to put on. An easily directable torch that straps to the hand overcomes the above shortcomings would have considerable value in applications such as police work in dark conditions, diving, and engineering work in confined dark spaces.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following:

US8038310 discloses an illumination system has a glove and an illumination device. The illumination device may be attached to an upper portion of the glove via first and second fastening materials. The illumination device includes a battery operably connected with a light source through a switch, for illuminating a selected part of a work space. A plurality of pliant support legs of the illumination device extend generally radially outwardly and downwardly, for supporting the housing upon the back of the hand. The first fastening material has a width and a length that are dimensioned so that the illumination device may be removably attached to the glove via the second fastening material to point in any of 360 degrees of rotation, such that the light source directs illumination in a selected direction with respect to the glove. This device has the disadvantage that it is in glove form and so is incompatible with other, for example protective, gloves. A rotation action is disadvantageous in situations where the torch may suffer impact, for example in police work.

US20110182057 discloses a means to provide illumination in tight confined spaces and to allow this device to be attached to multiple devices with a extended length of the strap. This is a wrist mounted torch and suffers from the disadvantage that it is not easily directed except by moving the whole forearm.

US20080130268 discloses: a flashlight is provided comprising a LED illumination source, a power source electrically coupled to said LED illumination source, and a solid body encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of the LED

illumination source. The invention further includes an underwater illumination system comprising a glove having an interior, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an underwater flashlight comprising a LED illumination source, a power source electrically coupled to the LED illumination source, a solid body encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of the LED illumination source, and a securing member for connecting the underwater flashlight to said glove. A method for making an

underwater, pressure-resistant LED flashlight is provided for making an encapsulating solid body for the elements providing illumination.

The invention is again directed to a glove-mounted system, in this case made robust for underwater use, but is large, unwieldy, and relies on a glove for adequate support and direction.

US20030016527 discloses a portable disc flashlight, able to be secured to a user's hand, is disclosed herein. The device has a top portion, a base portion and securing means. The top portion includes a lens cover portion that threads onto the base portion. A ribbed ring portion is rotatably connected peripherally around said lens cover portion. The base portion includes an electrically energized light source and a power source for energizing said light source. A nylon strap, secured by a hook and loop fastening system allows the device to be fastened to either the palm or the back of the hand. The device further has a three-position switch that allows for off, on or flashing modes of operation.

This device is mounted on the hand, but is designed to orient the beam substantially vertically away from the back of the hand, and so is unsuitable for easy

forward facing illumination.

US5448458 discloses hand mounting of an illumination device. A common flashlight or other light source is mounted on the hand between the metacarpal bones of the thumb and forefinger. This directs the light to the area where the fingers meet and where common hand tools operate and allows full use of the hand holding the light source. This device is directable, but the common flashlight is held in a specific and unusual place, where the space available is too small for a high power light source. The light is directed preferentially at the tips of the fingers, again unsuitable for general illumination of a scene.

In contrast the present invention provides a readily directable source of forward illumination capable of illuminating a dark scene, mounted on the hand and compatible with gloves, for example protective gloves, and other hand-held implements, for example a police shield.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided a hand mounted torch comprising: A light source comprising a housing having a substantially planar configuration having a top and a bottom major surface and a forward facing front edge

One or more light sources mounted in the housing and having their light emitting direction oriented out from the front edge

A first mounting strap attached to the housing at a first position and adapted to pass around a portion of the hand when in use

A switch located on the housing, and

A power source in the form of one or more batteries within the housing.

In a preferred embodiment the torch further comprises a second mounting strap adapted to pass around the wrist in use. In one embodiment the second mounting strap is mounted on the housing at a second position.

In a preferred embodiment the torch further comprises a second housing portion, being substantially planar and having a bottom and a top surface and a forward and a rear edge, the second mounting strap being mounted on the second housing portion, the second housing portion being attached to the housing by means of a linking strap. In places herein the second housing portion is referred to as a 'wrist body' or a 'wrist housing' and the linking strap as the 'connector strap'.

In preferred embodiments the switch is a pressure-sensitive switch. In an alternative embodiment the switch is a touch-sensitive switch having a switching action when touched for a pre-determined length of time. In a further preferred embodiment the switch has a sliding action, for example to be slid in a first direction to turn the light on and in a second, reverse direction to turn the light off. In a preferred embodiment the switch may comprise a locking means to hold the switch in an on position so that it may not be accidentally turned off, for example through impact or personal contact, such as a struggle, with the user. In preferred embodiments the switch may comprise a locking action to hold the switch in an off position, so as to avoid accidentally turning the light on when not needed.

In a preferred embodiment the second housing portion may further comprise one or more batteries additional to the batteries in the housing, the batteries in the second housing portion being connected to the electrical circuit in the housing by cable means mounted on or formed within the linking strap.

In preferred embodiments the first mounting strap and where present the second mounting strap comprise means to adjust the strap(s) to suit the hand and wrist of the user, and further comprise tightening means to hold the torch in place in use. In a preferred embodiment the strap(s) could be elasticated so as to be self adjusting. In another embodiment such tightening means may comprise hook and eye means such as Velcro™. In a further embodiment such tightening means may comprise a buckle or snap in clips having strap tensioning and retaining means as known in the art. In a preferred embodiment the one or more light sources comprise LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). Preferably the LEDs are mounted on a circuit board within the housing, the circuit board comprising further electrical components as may be required to operate the torch. For example, the switch may also be mounted on the circuit board. Alternatively the switch and/or LED may be electrically attached to the circuit board by means of wires.

In a preferred embodiment the LEDs are mounted in the housing such that their principal axis of light emission is substantially perpendicular to the front edge and/or substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom surface of the housing. In this way the principal axis of light emission is substantially aligned with the orientation of the back of the hand. In an alternative embodiment the LEDs may be mounted such that their principal axis of light emission is at an angle to perpendicular to the front edge, or at an angle to a direction substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the housing, for example at an angle of up to 45 degrees from the plane of the bottom of the housing, or in a further embodiment, up to 60 degrees, so as to give a component of illumination substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom of the housing and a further component at an angle away from that plane. In this way, the torch may be adapted to provide predominantly forward illumination in the direction that the back of the hand is pointing, or in addition a component at an angle to that direction, for example to provide a degree of illumination in more than one direction relative to the direction of the back of the hand. In some embodiments the torch may comprise more than one light source having different orientations of their principal axes of light emission.

In preferred embodiments the angle between the principal axis of light emission of a light source and the plane of the bottom surface of the housing may be small, for example less than 20 degrees, and preferably less than 10 degrees. In an alternative embodiment the angle may be larger, for example in the range 20 to 45 degrees. In the case where the bottom surface of the housing may not be planar, for example when contoured, such angles may be defined relative to a plane defined by the mean surface position of the contoured surface. It will be understood that for practical applicability of the torch described herein, an approximate definition of such angles is sufficient to denote whether the torch provides substantially forward facing illumination, or a combination of forward facing illumination and illumination at an angle to forward.

In a preferred embodiment the torch further comprises a translucent housing portion in front of the LEDs through which light may pass. In a preferred embodiment the torch comprises lens means mounted in the light path from the light sources. In a further embodiment the torch may comprise prism means or mirror means mounted in the light path from the light sources, for example to re-direct the direction of light from the principal axis of emission of the light sources towards a desired direction with respect to the housing, for example in the case where the light sources are mounted in the housing with their principal axis of emission is at an angle to perpendicular to the front edge. In a preferred embodiment the torch further comprises a control circuit, acting in use to control the operation of the torch, and powered by the batteries. The control circuit may for example act to turn on or off the light sources under control of the switch; may enable dimming of the light or control of light intensity; may comprise a locking action such that a specific control action by means of the switch is required before the light source is turned on or off, for example to enable a locking facility so that the light is not turned on or off when that actions is not required. The control circuit maybe formed or implemented on a circuit board mounted within the housing.

In a preferred embodiment comprising a first and a second mounting strap, these may form part of a common harness having flexible linkages between the first mounting strap and the second.

Components of the torch may be formed from suitable durable materials. Impact resistant moulded plastic is preferably used for the housing and the second housing portion where present, though formed or machined metal may also be used. The mounting straps are preferably formed from a cut- and tear resistant plastic webbing as known in the art. These mounting straps may also be elasticated.

The torch is preferably sized to fit conveniently on the back of the user's hand. In preferred embodiments the housing is in the range 40 to 80mm from front edge to rear edge, more preferably in the range 45 to 65mm, for example around 60mm. The housing is preferably in the range 30 to 60 mm from one side of the housing to the other, for example around 45mm. The housing is preferably in the range 15mm to 35mm in thickness, for example 30mm. Where the torch comprises a second housing portion and a linking strap, the linking strap is preferably in the range 15 to 25mm long, preferably around 20mm long.

In preferred embodiments the bottom major surface of the housing may be shaped to fit against a user's hand, for example comprising a contour adapted to match a typical contour of the back of a hand. In a preferred embodiment the bottom of the housing may comprise a concave portion, to match the slightly convex nature of the back of an average user's hand. The bottom major surface may comprise concave curvature in a first direction, from the front edge to the rear, in a second direction, from the one side of the housing to the other, or in both directions. Curvature may be uniform or non uniform as may suit the complex curvature of a hand.

In preferred embodiments the torch is adapted to be water-resistant or water-proof and comprises sealing means to prevent water ingress when the housing and second housing portion are assembled. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a front three-quarter view of an embodiment of the invention with both mounting straps attached to the main body. The front strap is designed to go around the palm of the hand, the rear strap designed to go around the wrist.

Figure 2 shows a front three-quarter view of an embodiment of the invention with a second housing unit attached to the main body via a linking strap. The first mounting strap is connected to the main body and designed to go around the palm of the hand, the second mounting strap is attached to the second housing and designed to go around the wrist.

These figures are examples of possible embodiments of the torch. Variations of components parts, size and shape of the torch would still fall within the scope of the patent.