US3087049A

US3087049A - Headlamp having an adjustable switch

Info

Publication number: US3087049A
Application number: US27345A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schecter Aaron Francis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-05-06
Filing date: 1960-05-06
Publication date: 1963-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-23

Description

April 23, 19-63 F. sc c 3,087,049

HEADLAMP HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE SWITCH Filed May 6, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. 4. [ii/V676 627/5676? 3,087,049 HEADLAMP HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE SWITCH Aaron Francis Schecter, West Englewood, NJ. (1666 Montgomery Ave., Bronx, NY.) Filed May 6, 1960, Ser. No. 27,345 Claims. (Cl. 246-64) This invention relates to headlamps having adjustable switches and to lamp and switch structures therefor.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 779,182, filed December 9, 1958, now Patent No. 2,964,613 (Dec. 13, 1960).

Devices are known wherein a light source is controlled by a mercury switch and wherein the light source is operated by maneuvering the mercury switch to a position Whereat it electrically couples the light source to a source of electrical power. Moreover, it is known to apply such devices to headgear so that the light source may be switched on and off by movements of the head of the operator.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved headlamp operated by a mercury switch or the like, the improved structure being especially adapted for assembly, storage and maintenance, and portability.

Briefly, the invention contemplates the provision of a headlamp structure, the components of which are readily detached from one another so that the storing, conveyance, maintenance and assembly of the same is facilitated.

An important feature of my invention resides in the provision of a mercury switch device which is readily incorporated into and detached from the headlamp structure with which it is associated.

A further feature of my invention relates to the manner in which head engaging straps are provided which support therein the source or sources of electrical power which are employed.

Still another feature of my invention is the manner in which I mechanically and electrically assemble head straps and the power sources supported thereby into the structure of the invention.

A further feature of my invention resides in the manner in which I support a light source for substantially universal adjustment.

Advantageously, the mercury switch device of my invention is readily adjustable, as will be seen in the following detailed description wherein will be found other objects, features and advantages of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will next be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a headlamp structure provided in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2- 2 of FIG. 1, a portion of the structure being broken off;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in axial section, of the mercury switch device of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view, partially in section, taken along line 44 of FIG. 1, and illustrating several features of my invention, including the universal support of the light source; and

FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the electrical circuit embodied in my invention.

In FIG. 1 is illustrated a forehead piece d0 provided with lenses 1-2 and supporting a light device or source 14 ice and straps or

strap sections

16 and 18 engaging said forehead piece and adapted to accommodate therewith the head of an operator.

The straps are adjustably engaged with one another by adhering fastening devices 29 which are touch and close fasteners consisting of woven nylon tapes as described in the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers (1960) under the trade name Velcro.

Also comprised in the structure of the invention is a forehead brace 22 attached to the forehead piece 10 by a similar fastening means 24. Laterally positioned on the forehead piece 10 or strap 13 is the mercury switch device 26 of my invention.

It will be noted that

straps

16 and 18 comprise bulges 28 and 30. As better seen in FIG. 2, these bulges respectively encase batteries 32 and 34- which are commercially available nickel cadmium batteries characterized by a long life and ability to be recharged.

Wires 36 and 38 are connected to positive and negative terminals (not shown) on battery 3-2. Wire 36 is connected by means of a collar 40 to a metallic post 42 having a hexagonal head 44 and a threadably adjustable nut 46 which maintains the post 42 appropriately in position.

Wire 38 is similarly connected by a collar to a metallic post appropriately held in position on the strap 16.

From each of said posts there extends a nipple 48 and St), respectively, said nipples being provided with bulbous ends.

In the side portion 52 of the forehead piece 10 are located two

female receptacles

54 and 56. These receptacles have the form of conventional snap fastener elements which receive and hold firmly the bulbous ends of nipples 4S and 5t). Since the

receptacles

54 and 56 are metallic, they afford both mechanical and electrical connection for

thenipples

48 and 50.

Strap 18 is similarly provided with nipples 58 and 60 accommodated in

receptacles

62 and 64. The strap 18 is thus mechanically aflixed to the forehead piece 10 while at the same time electrical connection is provided for the battery 34.

Intermediate receptacles

62 and 64 is provided a further receptacle 66 which is also fashioned as a conventional metallic snap fastener. Receptacle 66 accommodates the bulbous portion 68 on the stem 70 of the mercury switch device 26. The mercury switch device further comprises a body portion 72 and a knob 74 which provides for adjusting the position of the internally comprised mercury switch 76 as will next be indicated in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3 are seen, as parts of the mercury switch device, the bulbous portion 68, stem 70, body portion 72 and knob 74, as stated above.

The body portion comprises a hollow cylindrical casing 78 which is of metal and is therefore electrically conductive. Within casing 78 is a body of insulating material 80 within which is housed the mercury switch 76 itself. The mercury switch is positioned obliquely with respect to the axis of casing 78 and one terminal of said switch is connected to the casing by means of a wire 82.

The stem 70 comprises a metallic tube 84 of lesser diameter than of casing 78, but possibly integral therewith. Through the center of tube 84 extends a metallic element 86 to which the other terminal of mercury switch is affixed by means of a wire 88. Rod 86 is insulated from tube 84 by insulator 90. Rod 86 is mechanically and wires. Alternatively,

tion in greater detail and in FIG.

aosrnoss electrically connected to the bulbous portion 68, the bulbous portion 68 being separated from tube 34 by means of insulating collar 92.

With reference to both FIGS. 2 and 3, it is seen that receptacle 62 is connected by means of wire 94 to receptacle 66, which in turn mechanically and electrically encases the bulbous portion 68 of the mercury switch device 26. This provides electrical connection between the battery 34 and the mercury switch 76 which in turn is connected to the casing 78.

Casing 7 8is connected by a wire 96 to light source 14 in a manner which will hereinafter be described in greater detail.

Rotation of knob 74 provides a controllable relationship of the position of mercury switch 76 with respect to totehead piece and therefore light source 14. It will be --understood that adjustment of knob 74 permits selection of the angle of tilt of the operators head at which the light source will be turned on, assuming that a complete circuit is otherwise provided.

Reference to FIG. 2 illustrates that the light source is 1 further connected by means of a wire 98 to the receptacle 54 which is connected via battery 32 to the above noted receptacle 56. A wire 100 connects receptacle 56 to receptacle 64 so as to complete the necessary electrical circuit controlled by mercury switch 76.

It is to be noted that the axis of mercury switch 76 is oblique to the axis of the mercury switch device 26 and this is deliberately provided to account for the lateral tilting of the head which is common in dental practice. The particular tilt illustrated in FIG. 3 is provided for a righthanded dentist, whereas the mercury switch device 26 wouldprefera-bly be located on the opposite side of the forehead piece 10 with a similar inclination of the mercury switch 76 for a left-handed dentist.

The

wires

96, 98 and 100 are preferably hidden within the structure of the forehead piece 10 so that if the forehead piece is made of metal, these wires are insulated the forehead piece may be fabricated of plastic material, whereupon said wires need not necessarily be so insulated.

FIG. 4 illustrates the light source structure of my inven- 4 are illustrated forehead piece 10, light source 14 and forehead brace 22 as stated above. This figure also illustrates wire 96 leading to light source 14 and embedded in the structure of said forehead piece.

The wire 96 is connected to a contact member 102 which is encircled by an externally threaded annular member 104. The annular member 104 is threadably engaged by means of a centrally perforated cap 106. Within the cap 106 is accommodated the spherical member 108 consisting of metallic portion 110 and insulated portion 112. Extending outwardly through cap 106 is the rod or stem 114 connected to metallic portion 110. The rod 114 is pierced by a bore 116 which extends centrally through spherical member 108 and its metallic and insulating

portions

110 and 112, respectively.

Through this bore extends an insulated wire 118 soldered in position at 120, whereat engagement is made with contact member 102.

A casing 122 comprises a front

portion accommodating lenses

124 and 126 and a rear portion supporting a socket 128. The socket 128 accommodates an electric bulb 130 Whichi-s connected by means of a conventional structure and

elements

132 and 134 to wire 118 and casing portion "136, respectively.

4- member 10-8 against cap 106 sothat the entire structure is held firmly in the position last selected by manual adpustment.

It will be appreciated that the casing 122 is susceptible of substantially universal adjustment as regards its position relative to the forehead piece 10 and that the entire structure can be readily demounted or assembled in accordance with the objects of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical circuit of the invention and inFIG. 5 are shown

batteries

32 and 34 and mercury switch device '26, as well as light source 14. Switches A, B, C and D are simply diagrammatical representations of the circuit opening and closing members constituted by the various receptacles and nipples such as, for example, constituted in one instance by nipple 50 and female receptacle '56.

The above structure represents substantial improvement over heretofore available mercury switch operated light sources, the structure of the invention being readily assembled and disassembled for storage, maintenance, and portability.

There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications and variations of the structure set forth above. These modifications and variations will not, however, depart from the scope of the invention if they are defined by the folowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A headlamp comprising a forehead piece, a light device supported on said forehead piece, electrical sockets in said forehead piece and opening laterally therefrom, said sockets being coupled to said light device, a strap member, a source of electrical power in said strap member, electrical plugs on said strap member and coupled to said source, said plugs being accommodated in said sockets to couple said strap member and forehead piece mechanically and to couple said source and light device in an electrical circuit, a mercury switch device in said circuit and detachably connected to said forehead piece whereby said light device is actuated in accordance with the position of the head of the user, and a further socket in said forehead piece and opening laterally with respect thereto, said mercury switch device comprising a body, a stem on said body, said stem being detachable from and rotatably supported in said further socket, and knob means on said body portion for rotating the same, said body comprising an outer cylindrical metallic casing, a mercury switch having two electrical connections in said casing, one of the connections being connected to said casing, and an insulating body supporting the switch in the casing; said stem comprising an outer tubular member opening into said casing and coaxial therewith, a central conductor extending through said tubing to one of said connections, insulating means between said central conductor and tubular member, and a bulbous metallic tip on said central conductor for engaging said further socket with a snap fit; said casing being coupled to said light source and said further socket being con nected to one of the first said sockets.

2. A headlamp as claimed in claim 1 comprising a contact on said forehead piece and coupled to one of the first said sockets, threaded means encircling said contact and extending from said forehead piece, a metallic cap having a central opening and threadably engaging said threaded means, a spherical member within the cap including a metallic portion engaging said cap and an insulating portion engaging said contact, a rod on said spherical member extending through the central opening in said cap and supporting said light device for substantially universal adjustment, an insulated lead coupled to said light device and passing through said rod and centrally through the portions of the spherical member to said contact, and a lead coupling said contact to said source of electrical power.

3. A headlamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the source of electrical power being a rechargable battery coupled to the first said sockets, and recharging nipples on the first said sockets.

4. A headlamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein said $2 23 2 x 5: mercury switch device and light device being adjustable 5 1691472 gg zf independently of each Other- 2:17 :739 c i i O 17:

5.A headlamp as claimed in claim 1 wherein said 2 207 705 Cox July 1 mercury switch device comprises a mercury switch 2,638,532 Brady May 12, obliquely disposed with respect to the mercury switch 10 2,725,462 Vorgang Nov. 29, device axis. 2,964,613 Schcchter Dec. 13,

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A HEADLAMP COMPRISING A FOREHEAD PIECE, A LIGHT DEVICE SUPPORTED ON SAID FOREHEAD PIECE, ELECTRICAL SOCKETS IN SAID FOREHEAD PIECE AND OPENING LATERALLY THEREFROM, SAID SOCKETS BEING COUPLED TO SAID LIGHT DEVICE, A STRAP MEMBER, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN SAID STRAP MEMBER, ELECTRICAL PLUGS ON SAID STRAP MEMBER AND COUPLED TO SAID SOURCE, SAID PLUGS BEING ACCOMMODATED IN SAID SOCKETS TO COUPLE SAID STRAP MEMBER AND FOREHEAD PIECE MECHANICALLY AND TO COUPLE SAID SOURCE AND LIGHT DEVICE IN AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, A MERCURY SWITCH DEVICE IN SAID CIRCUIT AND DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO SAID FOREHEAD PIECE WHEREBY SAID LIGHT DEVICE IS ACTUATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POSITION OF THE HEAD OF THE USER, AND A FURTHER SOCKET IN SAID FOREHEAD PIECE AND OPENING LATERALLY WITH RESPECT THERETO, SAID MERCURY SWITCH DEVICE COMPRISING A BODY, A STEM ON SAID BODY, SAID STEM BEING DETACHABLE FROM AND ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID FURTHER SOCKET, AND KNOB