as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication 10) Pub. No.: US 2016/0109079 Al
`
` McKinleyetal. (43) Pub. Date: Apr. 21, 2016
`
`
`US 20160109079A1
`
`54)
`
`LIGHT TOWER ASSEMBLY
`
`ublication
`Publication
`
`Classification
`Classificati
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`F21S 8/08
`F21V 14/02
`F21V 21/22
`(52) U.S. CL
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`5018) FEV1402(2013.01):F217
`—e
`2101/02(2013.01)
`
`ABSTRACT
`67)
`A light tower assemblyfor the high density illumination ofan
`indooror outdoorarea by a portable powerplantor a station-
`ary powersource includesatleast one vertical support shaft,
`at least one cross member attached to the vertical support
`shaft and at least on omnidirectional heavy duty LED light
`pacetaethecrossmember,rovingspor0
`
`being moveably aimed within a range of 360 degrees from a
`
`(71) Applicants:Stephen C. McKinley, Soldotna, AK
`(US); Kevin L. Feguson, Soldotna, AK
`(US); Keith Hilbish, Soldotna, AK (US);
`Jon Warner, Soldotna, AK (US)
`.
`
`2M (US):KevinLeFeguson,Soldotna,AK
`(US); Keith Hilbish, Soldotna, AK (US);
`Jon Warner, Soldotna, AK (US)
`(73) Assignee: McKinley Service Equipment,Inc.,
`Soldotna, AK (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 14/545,212
`“yg,
`(22)
`Filed:
`Apr. 8, 2015
`Related US. Aplcton Dat
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 62/122,412, filed on Oct.
`20, 2014.
`
` pivotal mounting point on the cross member.
`
`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 1 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 1 of 8
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Apr. 21,2016 Sheet 1 of 5
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 2 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 2 of 8
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Apr. 21,2016 Sheet 2 of 5
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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` Fig. 2
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 3 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 3 of 8
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Apr. 21,2016 Sheet 3 of 5
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 4 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 4 of 8
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Apr. 21,2016 Sheet 4 of 5
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 5 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 5 of 8
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Apr. 21,2016 Sheet 5 of 5
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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` Fig. 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 6 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 6 of 8
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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`Apr. 21, 2016
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`LIGHT TOWER ASSEMBLY
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] Applicants claim the benefit of U.S. Provisional
`Patent Application No. 62/122,412, filed by the same inven-
`tors on Oct. 20, 2014.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of Invention
`[0002]
`[0003] A light tower assembly for the high density illumi-
`nation of an indoor or outdoorarea by a portable powerplant
`or a stationary power source includes at least one vertical
`support shaft, at least one cross memberattachedto the ver-
`tical support shaft and at least on omnidirectional heavy duty
`LED light bracket attached to the cross member, providing
`support to a high lumen LED light, with the heavy duty LED
`light bracket being moveably aimed within a range of 360
`degrees from a pivotal mounting point on the cross member.
`[0004]
`2. Description of Prior Art
`[0005] A preliminary review ofprior art patents was con-
`ducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a
`similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art
`inventions do notdisclose the sameor similar elementsas the
`
`present light tower assembly, nor do they present the material
`components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the
`priorart.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`Portable light towers are utilized in the industry to
`[0006]
`illuminate large areas where insufficient light is provided to
`safely conduct construction projects. These light towers are
`commonly seen at highway construction projects being oper-
`ated at night, at oil field drilling operations where drilling
`operations are conducted aroundthe clock, off-shore rigs and
`in arenas where sporting events are held at venues that do not
`provide stationary or permanent lighting equipment. These
`light towers are also used indoors for construction of large
`capacity building projects, within underground location
`involved in mining, boring or where undergroundtransporta-
`tion projects are being performed.
`[0007] The present light tower assembly defines a vertical
`shaft which is mounted to the trailer frame or a stationary
`support stand and extends upward. It may be provided with a
`telescoping means, elevated by either an electrical winch
`drive or manualcable drive ratchet and locking means. At the
`top of the light tower assembly, at least one cross member
`having at least one LED light assembly is attached. The LED
`light assembly comprises at least one, but preferably four
`LED light brackets, each bracket mounting an LED light.
`Each LED light bracket is independently capable of move-
`ment on a 360 degree vertical axis, with each LED light being
`rotated on a 360 degree horizontal axis, providing each light
`fixture with the independent capacity of movement and aim-
`ing of the LED lightfixture to any point within a three dimen-
`sional 360 degree target area, thus making each LED light
`fixture truly omni-directional.
`[0008] The selection of LED lightingis an energyefficient,
`cost reducing option overthe typically used metal halide light
`fixture, which require considerable more operational power,
`give off a considerable amount of heat which is a loss of
`energy efficiency and waste of power, and have a vastly
`extendedlife expectancy over metal halide bulbs andfixtures.
`
`In outdoor testing performed on the type of LED
`[0009]
`light fixtures used in the present high efficiency light tower,
`LED lighting has demonstrated comparable illumination to
`metalhalides in most work environments. LEDs are shown to
`
`maintain 80% oftheir factory illumination over a period of
`50,000 hours, with no mercury, UV or IR wave production.
`LED bulbs are flicker free and illuminate instantly with high
`lumen uniformity and color clarity rendering. They are also
`lighter and more resistant to shock, vibration and weather
`changes than metal halide bulbs. At a distance of 400feet, the
`400 watt LED lights are as bright as 1000 watt metal halide
`bulbs and also provide peripheral lighting equal to metal
`halides of the focal center. In indoorlighting use, the LED
`light fixtures distribute a more even lighting to vertical sur-
`faces, produce far less heat than metal halides and are
`observed by workers to be easier to work within than metal
`halide illumination in working conditions.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0010] The following drawings are submitted withthis util-
`ity patent application.
`[0011]
`FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of the
`light tower assembly mounted to a portable powerplant.
`[0012]
`FIG. 2 is an illustration of the light tower assembly
`attachedto a vertical extension support
`[0013] FIG.3 isa drawing ofthe light tower assembly with
`four LED light modules pointing in a commondirection.
`[0014]
`FIG. 4 is an expanded view of the light bracket
`assembly without the LED lights mounted within the brack-
`ets.
`
`FIG. 5 is an expanded view of an isolated light
`[0015]
`bracket assembly.
`[0016]
`FIG. 6 is a lower support bar and lowerreinforce-
`ment with connecting means.
`[0017]
`FIG. 7 is the lower support bar.
`[0018]
`FIG. 8 is the front surface of the module mounting
`frame member
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`[0019] As shownin FIGS. 1-8,the light tower assembly 10
`includes at least one vertical shaft which is mounted to a
`
`portable powerplant generatortrailer frame 200, FIG. 1, or a
`stationary stand near an electrical power supply, not shown,
`with the at least one vertical shaft 100 provided in one
`embodimentas being a telescopic vertical shaft, FIG. 2, with
`the capacity to be raised or lowered by either an electrical
`winchdrive or manual cable drive ratchet and locking means
`105. At the top of the at least one vertical shaft 100, the light
`tower assembly 10 is attached, with at least one cross member
`20 is attached, each cross member 20 defining at least one
`vertical bore 24, attaching at least one omnidirectional LED
`light bracket assembly 30. Each at least one LED light bracket
`assembly 30 comprises an LED light bracket 40 pivotally
`mounting a pair of module mounting frame members 80
`which pivotally secures at least one LED light module 60.
`Each LEDlight bracket 40 is independently capable ofmove-
`ment on a 360 degree vertical axis, with each LED light
`module mounting frame member80 being fixable androtat-
`able on a 360 degree horizontal axis, providing each at least
`one LED light bracket assembly 30 with the independent
`capability of movement and target aiming directed at any
`
`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 7 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 7 of 8
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`US 2016/0109079 Al
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`Apr. 21, 2016
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`location within a three dimensional 360 degree area, thus
`making each LED light bracket assembly 30 truly omni-
`directional.
`
`[0020] The selection of LED lightingis an energyefficient,
`cost reducing option overthe typically used metal halide light
`fixture, which require considerable more operational power,
`give off a considerable amount of heat which is a loss of
`energy efficiency and waste of power, and have a vastly
`extendedlife expectancy over metal halide bulbs andfixtures.
`In outdoor testing performed on the type of LED lighting
`components used in the present high efficiency light tower,
`LED lighting has demonstrated comparable illumination to
`metal halides in most work environments. LED are shown to
`maintain 80% oftheir factory illumination over a period of
`50,000 hours, with no mercury, UV or IR wave production.
`LED bulbsare flicker free and illuminate instantly with high
`lumen uniformity and color clarity rendering. They are also
`lighter and more resistant to shock, vibration and weather
`changes than metalhalide bulbs. At a distance of 400feet, the
`400 watt LED lights are as bright as 1000 watt metal halide
`bulbs and also provide peripheral lighting equal to metal
`halides of the focal center. In indoorlighting use, the LED
`light array distribute a more evenlighting to vertical surfaces,
`produce far less heat than metal halides and are observed by
`workers to be easier to work within than metal halide illumi-
`
`nation in working conditions.
`[0021] Each LED light bracket 40 further defines a heavy
`duty lower support bar 50 having a central bore 51 and oppos-
`ing ends 52 defining an angular portion 53 and a vertical
`portion 54, each vertical portion 54 defining a mounting
`frame securing bore 55. A lower reinforcementis attached to
`the lower support bar for added strength, the lower reinforce-
`ment 56 having a central bore 57 and a connecting means 58
`to the lower support bar. A locking bolt, washers and a nut 70
`secure each central bore 51 of each light bracket 40 through
`the vertical bore 24 located in the at least one cross member
`20, as shown in FIGS. 2-5. Each mounting frame securing
`bore 55 independently accepts a threaded shaft 73 ofa locking
`member 72 which independently secures through a lateral
`bore 87 ofa lateral flange 86 of each module mounting frame
`member 80, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The module mounting
`frame memberfurther defines a rear surface 83, FIG. 5, pre-
`senting a plurality of module bolt holes 84 and extending the
`lateral flange 86.
`[0022] Each module mounting frame member80 is further
`securedto a rear surface 62 of the LED light module, FIGS. 3
`and 8. By providing each light bracket 40 in the disclosed
`embodiment, the omni-directional aiming and illumination of
`the LED light bracket assembly 10 is accomplished, espe-
`cially where there are at least four light bracket assemblies 30
`attachedto a single cross member 20, and even more so where
`there are two cross members with four LED light bracket
`assembliesfora total of eight independently aimed LED light
`modules, FIGS. 1-2.
`[0023] While the invention has been particularly shown and
`described with reference to a preferred embodimentthereof,
`it will be understoodbythose skilled in the art that changes in
`form and detail may be made therein without departing from
`the spirit and scope of the invention.
`
`Whatis claimedis:
`1. A light tower assembly mounted to a portable power
`plant generatoror stationary electrical power supply compris-
`ing:
`at least one vertical shaft;
`at least one cross member attached to the at least one
`
`vertical shaft by at least one vertical bore; and
`one or more omnidirectional LED light bracket assem-
`blies, each said assembly providing an LED light
`bracket pivotally mounting a pair of module mounting
`frame members which pivotally secure at least one LED
`light module per each said pair of module mounting
`members, wherein each said LED light bracket is inde-
`pendently capable ofmovement on a 360 degreevertical
`axis and each said pair of LED light module mounting
`frame members being fixable and rotatable on a 360
`degree horizontal axis, providing each said one or more
`LED light bracket assembly with an independent capa-
`bility of omnidirectional movement and target aiming
`directed at any location within a three dimensional 360
`degree area.
`2. The light tower assembly as disclosed in claim 1, further
`comprising:
`saidat least one vertical shaft is a telescopic shaft having a
`meansofraising and lowering said at least one vertical
`shaft.
`3. The light tower assembly as disclosed in claim 1, further
`comprising:
`Each LED light bracket further defining a heavy duty lower
`support bar having a central bore and opposing ends
`defining an angular portion anda vertical portion, each
`vertical portion defining a mounting frame securing
`bore, each said mounting frame securing bore indepen-
`dently accepting a threaded shaft of a locking member
`which independently secures througha lateral bore of a
`lateral flange of each said module mounting frame mem-
`ber within each said pair of module mounting frame
`members;
`a lower reinforcement attached to said lower support bar
`for added strength, said lower reinforcement defining a
`central bore and a connecting means attaching said
`lower reinforcementto said lower support bar;
`a locking bolt, washers and a nut securing each said central
`bore of each said light bracket through a vertical bore
`located in within said at least one cross member.
`4. The light tower assembly as disclosed in claim 1, further
`comprising:
`each module mounting frame memberfurther defining a
`front surface and a rear surface presenting a plurality of
`module bolt holes and extending a lateral flange, said
`front surface securedto a rear surface of said LED light
`module providing said LED light module with the
`capacity for omni-directional aiming and illumination
`of the LED light bracket assembly; and
`said light tower assembly provides four said light bracket
`assemblies attached to two said independent cross mem-
`bers fora total of eight independently aimed LED light
`modules.
`
`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 8 of 8
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`Petitioner Ensign
`Exhibit 1042 - Page 8 of 8
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