Multi-directional light assembly
Light assemblies comprise a housing having a chamber, one or more light emitting elements connected with the housing, a transparent cover, and one or more reflectors positioned adjacent the light emitting element. The one or more light emitting elements are interposed between the transparent cover and the one or more reflectors, and the one or more light emitting elements and one or more reflectors operate to provide a multi-directional field of illumination that is 180 degrees or more, e.g., between about 180 to 270 degrees. The transparent cover may have a convex outer surface to facilitate light transmission in side oriented directions. The light assembly may include switches or controls for on/off and/or dimming functions. An example light assembly comprises three light emitting elements in the form of LEDs, and includes three reflectors, wherein the LEDs and reflectors are configured to produce the desired field of illumination.
1 . A light assembly comprising:
a housing; and
two or more light emitting elements disposed in the housing, wherein a first lighting element is positioned adjacent a center of the housing and a second lighting element is positioned away from the center near a first side of the housing, wherein the first lighting element emits a first field of illumination outwardly from the center of the housing, and wherein the second lighting element emits a second field of illumination outwardly from near the first side of the housing, wherein the first field of illumination is in a different direction than the second field of illumination;
wherein the combined light emitting elements emit a total field of illumination outwardly from the light assembly of 90 degrees or more.
2 . The light assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light assembly is configured to be worn by a user and when worn the light assembly emits a total field of illumination of 90 degrees of or more.
3 . The light assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the housing has an elongate configuration and the first and second light emitting elements are positioned in the housing aligned with an axis of the elongate configuration.
4 . The light assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light emitting elements are arranged to emit a total field of illumination from the housing of about 120 to 270 degrees.
5 . The light assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting element provides a frontward field of illumination from the housing, and wherein the second light emitting element provides a first sideward field of illumination from the housing different from the frontward field of illumination.
6 . The light assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein a third light emitting element is positioned away from the center near a second side of the housing and provides a third field of illumination outwardly from near the second side of the housing that is in a direction different from the first field of illumination.
7 . The light assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the number of light elements are disposed in an opening of the housing.
8 . A multi-directional light apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising two or more light emitting elements disposed therein at different locations near a center of the housing and near an end of the housing;
wherein the light emitting element near the center of the housing emits a first field of illumination outward from near the center of from the housing, wherein the light emitting element near an end of the housing emits a second field of illumination outward from near the end of the housing that is in a different direction than the first field of illumination, and wherein the two or more light emitting elements emit a total field of illumination from the housing that is 90 degrees or more.
9 . The multi-directional light apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the two or more light emitting elements emit a total field of illumination from the housing that is 180 degrees or more.
10 . The multi-directional light apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the two or more light emitting elements emit a total field of illumination from the housing that is between 120 to 270 degrees.
11 . The multi-directional light apparatus as recited in claim 8 , comprising a reflector positioned adjacent the two or more light emitting elements.
12 . The light assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing is made from a rigid material such as a polymeric or plastic material, or a metallic material.
13 . The multi-directional light apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the two or more number of light emitting elements are disposed within an opening of the housing.
14 . The multi-directional light apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the multi-directional light assembly is a portable device that is configured to electrically connect with and accommodate a portable power source.
15 . The multi-directional light apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the multi-directional light assembly is configured to promote hand-held operation by a user.
16 . A light assembly having a wide field of illumination that is configured to be worn by a user, the light assembly comprising a housing that is configured to accommodate two or more light emitting elements, wherein the light emitting elements are positioned near a center of the housing and near a side of the housing to emit a field of illumination outwardly from the respective center and side in different directions from one another, wherein when worn the two or more light emitting elements provide a total emitted field of illumination from the light assembly of 180 degrees or more.
17 . The light assembly as recited in claim 16 , wherein the light emitting elements emit a total field of illumination between 120 and 270 degrees.
18 . The light assembly as recited in claim 16 , wherein the housing has an elongate configuration and the two or more light emitting elements are arranged along an axis of the housing elongation.
19 . The light assembly as recited in claim 16 , wherein the housing has an outwardly convex-shaped opening through which the field of illumination projects.
20 . The light assembly as recited in claim 16 comprising a first light emitting element positioned near the center, a second light emitting element positioned near the side, and a third light emitting element adjacent another side of the housing that emits illumination outwardly from another side of the housing.