Abstract: A portable worklight providing a high level of substantially omni-directional illumination. Briefly, the worklight includes an elongate lamp section including one or more lamp sockets for receiving one or more small fluorescent lamps such as compact fluorescent lamps of the screw-in variety. The lamp section includes a substantially transparent shield about the lamps and is structured and arranged to provide illumination substantially in a full circle about the lamp section. The lamp section is retractable into an elongate base section that is shaped and structured to receive the lamp section snugly in its interior. In the retracted configuration the worklight forms a compact unit for carrying, transporting and storing the worklight. The worklight may also include legs that may be retracted along the base section and deployed for supporting the worklight during use.

Abstract: An enhanced built-in visual warning mechanism to caution a user when the surfaces of a worklight are hot. A worklight is shown that has a housing that includes an interior portion for holding a light source such as one or more quartz halogen bulbs. The light source operates at a temperature sufficient to raise at least portions of the exterior surfaces of the housing to a temperature that is hot to human touch during normal operation of the worklight. A thermochromic substance is disposed in thermal communication with at least a portion of one of the exterior housing surfaces in a readily visible position. The thermochromic substance is formulated to undergo a conspicuous color change, in the normal operation of the worklight, in response to heat from the external surface where it is located. The dynamic color change provides a timely visible indication to the user that the exterior surface is presently hot to the touch.

Abstract: A worklight assembly used as a stand-alone unit and mountable on a tripod. A pair of worklight heads are mounted in side-by-side relation on a linearly extending base portion. A number of support feet extending outward from the base portion are secured to the base portion proximate the lateral ends of the base portion for supporting the worklight assembly as a stand-alone unit. A handle member is centrally disposed between the worklight heads and secured to the base portion so that a user can conveniently position the worklight on the tripod. A hole is provided at least through the base portion generally midway between the worklight heads for use in securing the base portion to the tripod. An electrical power junction is disposed on the worklight assembly for distributing electrical power to the worklight heads in multi-head embodiments.

Abstract: A small-sized hidden motion detector that can be incorporated in a decorative manner into a decorative lantern. The motion detector can be incorporated into lighting fixture designs not previously amenable to a hidden motion detector in the body of the lighting fixture. A small decorative motion detector housing is provided defining a compact interior region with a PIR sensor mounted inside and providing a sufficient optical pathway for a practical motion detector of wide angular field of view that can nevertheless fit inside commonly found small-sized decorative lantern elements. In one embodiment the motion detector is hidden in a small generally cylindrical decorative element of the sort that is found in a number of traditional decorative lantern designs and that has not previously been amenable to a hidden motion detector.

Abstract: An improved worklight case for carrying and storing a worklight such as a quartz halogen worklight having a protective grill protruding from the worklight face. The worklight may be stored in the case without disassembly of the worklight or removal of the protective grills. A tripod may also be included in the case. The case has a bottom portion including one or more bays, each of which is formed for receiving an individual worklight head with the protective grill in position on the worklight head. The bays are disposed in the bottom portion so that each worklight head rests in its own bay when the worklight is in position in the bottom portion. The various surfaces of the bottom portion are formed to allow space for the worklight base so that the worklight heads need not be disassembled from the base, but rather the worklight may be positioned in the bottom portion as a unit with each head in its own bay. Adequate space is left over for storing the tripod as well.

Abstract: A motion detector circuit arrangement having multiple modes of operation for energizing a light at a nominal full-brightness illumination level in response to motion. Background level circuitry provides a dual-use lighting level signal that indicates the background levels with which the light may be energized in the absence of motion when operating in the various modes. The dual-use level signal is applied to cause the light to be energized at the desired background level and is further applied to set at least one other characteristic of the motion-activated light associated with the selected background level. The dual-use level signal may be applied to activate and establish an intermediate background lighting level to provide accent mode lighting and also be applied to disable a manual override capability. The manual override capability is preserved in security mode so that it will operate when these is no background lighting.

Abstract: A halogen worklight of the type having a peripheral frame or bezel that is completely removable to provide access to the bulb chamber for re-lamping. The peripheral frame is provided with a handle secured directly to the bezel for use in removing the bezel and for positioning the bezel when re-mounting it to the worklight body. The handle may be changed from one side of the bezel to the other to convert the worklight between right and left-handed.

Abstract: Outdoor passive infra-red motion detector circuitry with circuit improvements that greatly reduce incidents of false activation. The motion detector includes one or more infra-red sensors and circuitry for amplifying and filtering the signal from the sensors. The amplification and filtering circuitry has a pass band for signals from the one or more sensors corresponding to a range of speeds of motion of a person moving in the field of view of the motion detector. The ability of the motion detector circuitry to filter out certain environmental sources of false activations is enhanced by providing the pass band with a very steep rolloff at the lower cutoff. In one embodiment the amplification and filtering circuitry is provided with three op amp stages, each stage being configured to contribute a nominal 6 db per octave rolloff to the lower cutoff.

Abstract: A worklight assembly that may as a stand-alone unit mountable on a tripod. One embodiment includes a linearly extending support member for the heads and a number of support feet extending outward from the support member for supporting the worklight assembly as a stand-alone unit. A mounting mechanism is captured on the worklight assembly so as to be retained with the assembly when used as a stand-alone unit and is nevertheless ready for attachment to the elevating support structure. The mechanism is disposed to avoid interference with the work surface when the assembly is positioned directly on the work surface. The mounting mechanism enables one-step mounting and demounting of the assembly from a tripod. An electrical power junction is disposed on the worklight assembly for distributing electrical power to the worklight heads in multi-head embodiments.

Abstract: A spare bulb holder arrangement for a quartz-halogen-type bulb used in a worklight that holds the bulb securely and safely against the rigors of use to which worklights can be subjected. The bulb holder is used with an elongate double-ended bulb of the sort that has an elongate envelope with end portions at each end of the envelope that are adapted for mounting the bulb in a worklight. The spare bulb holder includes an elongate bulb housing sized to receive a spare bulb, a spare bulb support structure sized to be received within the bulb housing, and a housing end cap for closing the bulb housing and for removing and inserting the spare bulb support structure. The support structure includes first and second bulb engaging members that are spaced apart from one another and that are disposed on the support structure to lie in registration with the end portions of the bulb.