# US 2004/0062047 A1 · Lighted handle

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- Number: US 2004/0062047 A1
- Document ID: US20040062047A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 10/613,143
- Filed: 2003-07-03
- Published: 2004-04-01
- Earliest claimed: 2001-10-31
- Assignees: ITC Incorporated
- Inventors: Richard J. Camarota; Richard Hartmann JR.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20040062047A1

## CPC

- A47K 3/003: {Grips for baths}
- B60Q 1/2669: {on door or boot handles (lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267)}
- B60Q 3/267: Door handles; Hand grips
- B60Q 3/64: for a single lighting device
- E04F 11/1804: {Details of anchoring to the wall}
- E05B 17/10: Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; {Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights}
- F21S 4/28: rigid, e.g. LED bars
- G02B 6/0006: {Coupling light into the fibre (in general G02B6/4298)}
- G02B 6/001: {the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre}
- E04F 2011/1872: {illuminated}
- E05B 1/0015: {Knobs or handles which do not operate the bolt or lock, e.g. non-movable; Mounting thereof}
- F21W 2111/08: for handles or handrails
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

A lighted handle includes an elongate light transmitting member that has first and second end portions. First and second support surface engageable mounting brackets carry the first and second end portions of the light transmitting member. A narrow beam light emitter is located in the first mounting bracket and has a light beam emitting end. The light beam emitting end faces the adjacent first end portion of the light transmitting member and is aimed longitudinally along the light transmitting member to make the same more visible.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lighted handle comprising:
a hollow mounting bracket having a recess;
a light transmitting bar having a first end portion telescoped in said recess, said first end portion having a central length axis and an end face;
a light emitting unit disposed in said recess, said light emitting unit being fixed with respect to said bracket and bar, and having a central emitted light beam axis extending endwise into said bar, said light emitting unit's emitted light beam axis being parallel to, but spaced from said bar axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said recess comprises (1) a relatively larger diameter outboard portion receiving said bar end portion and (2) a relatively smaller diameter inboard portion receiving said light emitting unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said recess outboard and inboard portions have longitudinal axes which are parallel but radially spaced.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said bracket comprises a foot having a mounting surface, a leg curving from said foot and having a free end portion spaced from said foot and from the plane of said mounting surface, said leg free end portion being hollow and indented by said recess, said bar and bracket having adjacent outer peripheral surfaces which are mutually flush, such that said bar continues the peripheral contour of said bracket in a visually unbroken manner.

### Claim 5

A lighted handle comprising:
a hollow mounting structure having a recess;
a light transmitting bar having one portion of a first relatively larger thickness, and an end portion of a second relatively smaller thickness extending from said one portion and having a substantially planar end face, said end portion being telescoped in said recess;
a light emitting device disposed in said recess at the inboard end of said bar, said light emitting device facing said bar end face.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 in which said recess comprises (1) a relatively larger diameter outboard portion receiving said bar end portion and (2) a relatively smaller diameter inboard portion receiving said light emitting unit, said recess outboard and inboard portions having longitudinal axes which are parallel but radially spaced.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 in which said recess and bar first end portion have engageable peripheral walls, at least one of which tapers, the central axes of said recess and bar fastened portion being first in one of a range of relative angular positions.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 in which said bar comprises a plastic extrusion, said one portion being of substantially constant cross section, said end portion having a machined outer periphery.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8 in which said bar one portion has an outer peripheral surface with a user grip enhancing contour.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 in which said contour has axially parallel, circumferentially spaced contour elements selected from the group consisting of grooves and ribs.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 in which said bar end portion has an annular groove, and an annular seal ring bearing on an interior peripheral surface of said recess, said bar end portion being frictionally, removably, fixed in said recess.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 including a second said bracket having a second recess, said bar having a second end portion with a second end face telescoped in said second recess;
a reflecting member in said second recess and facing said bar second end face.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12 including a spacer member in said second recess and backing said reflecting member.

### Claim 14

In a bathroom installation, the combination comprising:
a person engagable bathroom fixture;
at least one hand graspable, person stabilizing handle fixed with respect to said fixture and located within reach of a person using said fixture, said handle comprising:
(1) a hand graspable, light transmitting bar having spaced ends and extending adjacent said fixture; and
(2) a relatively low voltage and low current draw light emitter, said light emitter comprising a light emitting device located adjacent to one end of said bar and having a self-focused light beam aimed into said one end of said light transmitting bar, said light emitting device having relatively low voltage and electric current supply connectable, electric conductors.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14 including a low voltage electric current supply stepped down in voltage from a conventional household electric current supply and connected in circuit with said conductors.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14 including a relatively low voltage and relatively low current supply comprising an electric storage cell and connected in circuit with said conductors, support structure fixing said bar and light emitting device and electric storage cell adjacent to each other and relative to said fixture, said support structure including a releasable cell holding member replaceably locating said cell.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16 in which said support structure comprises a bracket supporting an end of said bar.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16 in which said support structure comprises a wall to which said one bar end is fixed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14 in which said light emitting device is a light emitting diode which has a voltage drop across it less than 5 volts and a current flow therethrough less than 100 milliamps.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14 in which said fixture is selected from the group consisting of a toilet, a bidet, a spa, a shower stall, and a bathtub.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14 in which said handle is fixed on or adjacent said fixture.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14 in which said light transmitting bar has a peripheral surface firmly and fixedly graspable when dry and when wet.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The apparatus of claim 22 in which said bar is an extrusion and said firmly graspable peripheral surface thereof comprises integrally extruded, circumferentially alternating, axially extending ribs and grooves.

### Claim 24

A lighted handle, comprising:
a hollow mounting bracket;
a light transmitting bar having one end telescoped with respect to an opening in said mounting bracket;
a light emitting device fixed in said hollow bracket and aimed at said one end of said light transmitting bar;
an electric storage cell replaceably located in said hollow bracket and connected in circuit with said light emitting device.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24 in which said bracket has a cell entry/exit portal to facilitate cell replacement.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24 in which an ambient light responsive, cell conserving switch is carried by said bracket and connected in circuit with said light emitting device and cell.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24 in which said hollow bracket is sized to carry a battery pack at least as large as two commercially available AAA cells.

### Claim 28 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24 in which said light emitting device is a light emitting diode which has a light output of night vision preserving, colored hue.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28 in which said hue is selected from at least one of the red, yellow and green portions of the visible light spectrum.

### Claim 30

A lighted handle, comprising:
(1) a hand graspable, light transmitting bar having spaced ends; and
(2) a light emitter located adjacent to one end of said bar and having a light beam aimed into said one end of said light transmitting bar;
(3) a low voltage electric current supply unit, of voltage lower than conventional AC household electric current, and connected in circuit with said light emitter;
(4) a housing member compactly pocketing said one end of said light transmitting bar, said light emitter, and said low voltage current supply unit.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 in which said low voltage current supply unit comprises an electric storage cell connected in circuit with said light emitter, said housing member including a releasable cell holding member replaceably locating said cell.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 in which said low voltage current supply unit comprises (1) a 110 volt AC converter circuit having a substantially lower voltage direct current path through said light emitter, and (2) insulated conductors extending from said handle to a remote 110 volt AC connector device.

### Claim 33 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 in which said housing member comprises a hollow bracket with an interior passage one end of said passage being fixed with respect to said one end of said bar, said light emitter and current supply unit being disposed in said passage.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33 in which said current supply unit comprises an electric storage cell replaceably housed in said passage.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33 in which said current supply unit comprises an AC-to-DC converter in said passage and insulated AC conductors running from said passage and out of said handle.

### Claim 36 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 in which said housing member comprises a wall defining a recess in which said bar is located, said wall having a hole through which said bar extends, said wall having a portal closure openable to access an area behind said wall, said cell being releaseably supported in said area.

### Claim 37 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 in which said low voltage current supply unit comprises a replaceable battery pack and said light emitter is of a type:
(a) which is self-focused in a relatively narrow light beam wherein the light output on its central axis is reduced to half at an angle more than 45° off that axis, such that substantially all of its light output is applied to the opposed end of said light transmitting bar,
(b) having its rated light output at an electric current level substantially less than 100 milliamps,
(c) having at least dim light output at electric current levels as low as about 100 microamps,
(d) having an internal resistance which rapidly, nonlinearly increases as the voltage applied across it decreases,
(e) having an internal resistance which increases as current flow through it decreases, so as to maximize the time period between battery pack replacements while still producing useful levels of light.

### Claim 38 (depends on 30)

The apparatus of claim 30 in which said light emitter comprises an LED.

### Claim 39

A lighted handle, comprising:
a light transmitting bar having a fixedly mountable end portion having an end face, and a recess in said end face;
a light emitting device fixedly located in said recess and having a light beam emitting end aimed longitudinally of said light transmitting bar.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The apparatus of claim 39 including an illumination unit snugly received in said recess and carrying said light emitting device.

### Claim 41 (depends on 39)

The apparatus of claim 39 in which said recess is sized to snugly receive at least the light beam emitting end of said light emitting device.

### Claim 42 (depends on 39)

The apparatus of claim 39 in which said light emitting device is an LED-like device.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42 in which said LED-like device is an LED.