LED work light

A work light comprising:

• a) a high power LED that normally requires a heatsink for operation in a normal working environment while preserving a useful life in prolonged use,
• b) a heatsink thermally connected to the LED to preserve useful working life of the LED when operated in prolonged use,
• c) a casing substantially enclosing the LED and the heatsink, the casing comprising at least a portion that is transparent through which light can emit from the casing about a beam axis,
• d) an optic within the casing associated with the LED such that a beam of light radiating from the LED has a beam width that is changed by the optic, and light emitting from the optic emits a useful beam of light through a transparent portion of the casing, the useful beam of light with a width adequate for use in working for prolonged periods that is essentially at least 40 degrees and essentially no more than 90 degrees,
• wherein the casing is substantially tubular and wherein the beam emitted from the casing has a central beam axis that is essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the casing, and wherein the beam of light emitting from the optic has a more uniform light density across its beam width than the light density across a beam emitted by the LED, and
• wherein the optic is a convex lens, the convex lens has both a convex surface and a concave surface, and the concave surface is curved more sharply towards its edge than towards its center such that light is more evenly spread across the area of the beam when the LED associated with the concave surface has a beam width greater than 90 degrees.