A remote control handle assembly

Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to a remote control handle assembly for controlling a search light that is adapted to be mounted to a roof of a vehicle and is adapted to be continuously rotated by a user in one axis and to be pivoted by the user. 5 Abstract 2021205023 14 Jul 2021 5 Figure 1 1 / 2 110 100 102 106 108 112 104 20 21 20 50 23 1 4 Ju l 2 02 12021205023 14 Jul 2021 110 112 100 102

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote control handle assembly for controlling a search light that is adapted to be mounted to a surface. Particularly, but 5 not exclusively, the search light is adapted to be mounted to a roof of a vehicle and is adapted to be continuously rotated by a user in one axis and to be pivoted over a range of ±28 degrees from the horizon line of the search light by the user. Background of Invention

[0002] Search lights or spot lights may be mounted to a surface, such as a roof of 10 a vehicle or a roof rack mounted to the vehicle and controlled remotely by a user, e.g. a driver or a passenger of the vehicle. The user may be inside the cabin of the vehicle or outside and generally the user moves a handle mounted to the surface of the vehicle to move the search light into a desired position.

[0003] In one existing example, a remote control handle assembly is used to 15 mount a search light to a roof of a vehicle and to provide a handle that is mechanically connected to the search light to provide a user with remote control of the search light. In this example, the handle is mechanically connected to the search light via a socket ball joint. The socket ball joint includes a socket portion adapted to be mounted to the surface and a ball portion adapted to rotate about the socket portion. The ball portion 20 is mounted to a handle shaft at one end and a search light shaft at the opposed end of the ball portion. A handle is then connected to the handle shaft and the search light is connected to the search light shaft.

[0004] In this example, the user can remotely control the search light by moving the handle in two axes. That is, the user can rotate the search light and pivot the 25 search light using the handle. A search light, however, also requires an electrical connection to operate. Generally, with respect to this example, the electrical connection is provided by wires from a battery of a vehicle. These are generally required to be located along the handle shaft and the search light shaft to provide power to the search light and to an ON / OFF switch generally located on the handle. 2021205023   24 Sep 2026 The presence of these wires, however, is undesired and may interfere with control of the search light.

[0005] A reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was known 5 or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere as at the priority date of any of the disclosure or claims herein. Such discussion of prior art in this specification is included to explain the context of the present invention in terms of the inventor’s knowledge and experience. Summary of Invention 10

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provide a remote control handle assembly for controlling a search light that is adapted to be mounted to a surface, including: a handle adapted to be moved by a user to move the search light; a socket ball joint including a ball portion and a socket portion, wherein the socket portion is adapted to be mounted to the surface and the ball portion is adapted 15 to rotate about the socket portion; a search light shaft adapted to be mounted to the ball portion at one end and to the search light at an opposed end, wherein the search light shaft and search light are disposed on a first side of the surface; and a handle shaft adapted to be mounted to the ball portion at one end and to the handle at an opposed end, wherein the handle shaft and handle are disposed on a second side of 20 the surface, wherein the ball portion includes a first spherical portion having a first radius and a second spherical portion having a second radius different than the first radius, wherein the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are mechanically connected and have a common centre in the socket portion, wherein the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are electrically isolated, 25 wherein the socket portion is adapted to receive an electrical connection having a first pole connected to a pin conductor that is adapted to be biased against the first spherical portion to form a first electrical connection and a second pole electrically connected to the second spherical portion to form a second electrical connection, and wherein the search light shaft includes a first connector adapted to be electrically 30 connected to the first spherical portion at one end and to the search light at an opposed end, and a second connector adapted to be electrically connected to the 2021205023   24 Sep 2026 second spherical portion at one end and to the search light at an opposed end, whereby the search light is adapted to be continuously rotated in one axis and pivoted about the socket ball joint.

[0007] Preferably, the surface is a roof or a roof rack of a vehicle. In an 5 embodiment, the remote control handle assembly includes a bracket adjacent the socket ball joint for mounting the assembly to the roof of the vehicle.

[0008] The remote control handle assembly thus enables a user of the vehicle the ability to move the search light by rotating it or pivoting it about the socket ball joint. That is, the search light is adapted to be moved in two axes via the socket ball joint. 10 The user can continuously rotate the handle in one axis to continuously rotate the search light in one axis due to a wireless connection of the search light to the battery of the vehicle provided by the first and second electrical connections.

[0009] In an embodiment, the handle is also adapted to be moved by the user to pivot the search light about the socket ball joint over a range of ±28 degrees from the 15 horizon line of the search light.

[0010] In an embodiment, the remote control handle assembly further includes a remote switch mounted to the handle that is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a wireless module of the search light electrically connected to the first connector and the second connector, whereby the wireless module is configured to receive 20 commands from the remote switch to operate the search light, particularly ON and OFF commands. In this embodiment, there are no wires located along the handle shaft which could interfere with the operation of the search light by, for example, wrapping up around the shaft. Further, the wireless connection of the search light to the battery provides that wires located along the search light shaft also do not 25 interfere with the operation of the search light by, for example, wrapping up around the shaft.

[0011] In an embodiment, the pin conductor includes a brush at one end biased against the first spherical portion by a spring. The brush provides part of the wireless electrical connection of the search light to one pole of the vehicle battery. In the 30 embodiment, the second pole is also electrically connected to the socket portion and 2021205023   24 Sep 2026 to the second spherical portion. This provides the other part of the wireless electrical connection of the search light to the other pole of the vehicle battery.

[0012] In an embodiment, the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are electrically isolated with a spacer. 5

[0013] In an embodiment, the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are mechanically connected with screws that extend through the first spherical portion and are electrically isolated to the first spherical portion. In this embodiment, the screws are electrically isolated from the first spherical portion with suitable insulating material. The screws are electrically connected to the second spherical 10 portion thus forming the second connector.

[0014] In an embodiment, the first connector includes a threaded connector mechanically and electrically connected to the first spherical portion. Preferably, the threaded connector and the screws are mechanically connected to the search light shaft and to wires that extend to the search light to electrically connect the search 15 light to the battery.

[0015] In an embodiment, the remote control handle assembly further includes an active spring coil adapted to provide a bias against the handle shaft so that the handle shaft returns to the centre when the user is not moving the handle shaft. Brief Description of Drawings 20

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 shows a remote control handle assembly connected to a search light according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0018] Figure 2 shows a sectional view of a remote control handle assembly 25 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2021205023   24 Sep 2026 Detailed Description

[0019] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a remote control handle assembly 100 for controlling a search light 110 that is adapted to be mounted to a surface 102 of a vehicle with a bracket 104. As mentioned, the surface may be a roof or a roof rack of 5 a vehicle. The remote control handle assembly 100 includes a handle 106 adapted to be moved by a user to move the search light 110 into a desired location and a remote switch 108 adapted to be toggled by the user to turn the search light 110 ON and OFF. The remote switch 108 is adapted to wirelessly communicate, such as via RF, with a wireless module 112 of the search light 110 that is configured to receive ON 10 and OFF commands from the remote switch 108 to operate the search light 110. The wireless module 112 may be implemented by a processor which is configured to instruct a switch connected to a power source such as the vehicle battery to operate the search light 110.

[0020] Figure 2 shows a section view of an embodiment of the remote control 15 handle assembly 100 in more detail without the search light 110 connected. The remote control handle assembly 100 includes a handle grip 18 mounted to a bracket handle 17 with screws 20. Also mounted to the bracket handle 17 is a RF remote switch 31 for communicating the above mentioned ON and OFF commands.

[0021] The remote control handle assembly 100 includes a socket ball joint 10 20 including a ball portion and a socket portion. The socket portion is mounted to the bracket 104, labelled in Figure 1, and retained with ring retainer 5 to the surface 102 of the vehicle. The ball portion is adapted to rotate about the socket portion and includes two spherical halves that are described in detail below.

[0022] That is, the ball portion includes a first spherical portion 7 having a first 25 radius and a second spherical portion 16 having a second radius different than the first radius. The first spherical portion 7 and the second spherical portion 16 are mechanically connected with screws 29 and have a common centre in the socket portion. The first spherical portion 7 and the second spherical portion 16 are also electrically isolated from each other with a spacer insulation 6. The spacer insulation 30   6 is also provided on the opposed side of the first spherical portion 7 to further insulate the screws 29 from the first spherical portion 7. 2021205023   24 Sep 2026

[0023] The remote control handle assembly 100 includes a search light shaft 2 adapted to be mounted to the first spherical portion 7 at one end, via the screws 29, and to the search light 110 at an opposed end, as shown in Figure 1. The remote control handle assembly 100 further includes a handle shaft 23 adapted to be 5 mounted to the second spherical portion 16 at one end and to the handle bracket 17 at an opposed end.

[0024] As mentioned, in an embodiment, the search light 110 is electrically connected to a battery mounted on a vehicle. This electrical connection to the battery is provided by a socket electrical termination 8 located at the socket ball joint 10. The 10 socket portion of the socket ball joint 10 is adapted to receive the electrical connection termination 8, which has a first pole connected to a pin conductor 9 that is adapted to be biased against the first spherical portion 7 with a spring 19 to form a first electrical connection and a second pole electrically connected to the second spherical portion 16 to form a second electrical connection. 15

[0025] The first electrical connection is provided by a brush at one end of the pin conductor 9 that is held in place by the spring 19 against the first spherical portion 7. The second electrical connection is made by the socket portion which is connected to the second pole at the socket electrical termination 8, which in turn makes an electrical connection to the second spherical portion 16 as the socket portion and the 20 second spherical portion 16 are made of suitable conducting material. The first and second electrical connections thus provide a wireless connection of the search light 110 to the vehicle battery. Also, to accommodate the brush on the pin conductor 9 which makes a wireless connection to the first spherical portion 7, the radius of the second spherical portion 16 is larger than the radius of the first spherical portion 7. 25

[0026] The search light shaft 2 includes a first connector in the form of a rod threaded connector 3 adapted to be electrically connected to the first spherical portion at one end and to the search light at an opposed end. The rod threaded connector 3 mechanically and electrically connects the search light shaft 3 to the first spherical portion 7. 30

[0027] The search light shaft 2 further includes a second connector in the form of the abovementioned screws 29 that are adapted to be electrically connected to the 2021205023   24 Sep 2026 second spherical portion 16 at one end and to the search light 110 at an opposed end. The screws 29 are mechanically connected to the search light shaft 2 and to wires (not shown) that extend to the search light to electrically connect the search light to the battery. The screws 29 and the threaded connector 3 are isolated via a 5 spacer insulation 6 at one end of the first spherical portion 7.

[0028] In use, the handle grip 18 is gripped by a user and moved, which moves the handle shaft 23 and the search light shaft 2 via the mechanically connected first 7 and second 16 spherical portions within the socket ball joint 10. Thus, the search light 110 mounted to the search light shaft 2 can be continuously rotated in one axis 10 and pivoted about the socket ball joint by the user. That is, the remote control handle assembly 100 enables the search light 110 to be rotated about two axes by the user. This is due to the wireless connection of the search light 110 to the battery of the vehicle provided by the pin conductor 9. In addition to accommodating the brush at one end of the pin conductor 9, the first spherical portion 7 is sized with a radius 15 smaller than the second spherical portion 16 so that the user can pivot the search light 11 about the socket ball joint 10 over a range of ±28 degrees from the horizon line of the search light 110.

[0029] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the remote control handle assembly 100 further includes a boot 1 to protect the socket ball joint 10 from the elements. 20 The boot 1 may be made from rubber and is held in place with a nut 27. As mentioned, the remote control handle assembly 100 is mounted to a roof of a vehicle and the boot 1 protects components of the remote control handle assembly 100, including the socket ball joint 10, from being exposed to the elements. Adjacent the boot 1 is a sleeve insulator 4 adapted to insulate the rod threaded connector 3 from 25 the search light mounting nut 21 and washer 22.

[0030] On the handle side of the remote control handle assembly 100, the mechanical connection of the handle shaft 23 to the second spherical portion 16 is provided as follows. The handle shaft 23 is connected to a tapered interlock 15, which in turn is connected to a protruding portion of the second spherical portion 16 30 which protrudes beyond the second spherical portion 16 towards the handle. The protruding portion also protrudes inside an active spring coil 24 retained within a nut 2021205023   24 Sep 2026 friction lock 12 and a ring friction plate 11. The active spring coil 24 provides a bias against the handle shaft 23 so that it returns to the centre when the user is not moving the search light to pivot it away from the centre. The nut friction lock 12 also locks a nut handle lock 13 in the correct location and the active spring coil 24 is protected 5 from ingress of the elements by a ring 25. A pin 26 is provided to prevent the nut handle lock 13 from advertently being released. The handle shaft 23 is then mechanically connected to the handle bracket 17 with a ferrule 14 and a bolt 28.

[0031] While the invention has been described in conjunction with a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many 10 alternative, modifications and variations in light of the foregoing description are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternative, modifications and variations as may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed.

Claims

2021205023   24 Sep 2026The claims defining the invention are as follows1.     A remote control handle assembly for controlling a search light that is adaptedto be mounted to a surface, including:5         a handle adapted to be moved by a user to move the search light;a socket ball joint including a ball portion and a socket portion, wherein the socket portion is adapted to be mounted to the surface and the ball portion is adapted to rotate about the socket portion;a search light shaft adapted to be mounted to the ball portion at one end and to10 the search light at an opposed end, wherein the search light shaft and search light are disposed on a first side of the surface; anda handle shaft adapted to be mounted to the ball portion at one end and to the handle at an opposed end, wherein the handle shaft and handle are disposed on a second side of the surface,15          wherein the ball portion includes a first spherical portion having a first radiusand a second spherical portion having a second radius different than the first radius, wherein the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion aremechanically connected and have a common centre in the socket portion,wherein the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are20 electrically isolated,wherein the socket portion is adapted to receive an electrical connection having a first pole connected to a pin conductor that is adapted to be biased against the first spherical portion to form a first electrical connection and a second pole electrically connected to the second spherical portion to form a second electrical25 connection, andwherein the search light shaft includes a first connector adapted to be electrically connected to the first spherical portion at one end and to the search light at an opposed end, and a second connector adapted to be electrically connected to the second spherical portion at one end and to the search light at an opposed end,30         whereby the search light is adapted to be continuously rotated in one axis andpivoted about the socket ball joint.2021205023   24 Sep 20262.    A remote control handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pinconductor includes a brush at one end biased against the first spherical portion by a spring.

3. A remote control handle assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the5 second pole is electrically connected to the socket portion and to the second spherical portion.

4. A remote control handle assembly according claim 3, wherein the firstspherical portion and the second spherical portion are electrically isolated with a spacer.10   5.    A remote control handle assembly according claim 4, wherein the firstspherical portion and the second spherical portion are mechanically connected with screws that extend through the first spherical portion and are electrically isolated to the first spherical portion.

6. A remote control handle assembly according claim 5, wherein the screws form15 the second connector that is electrically connected to the second spherical portion.

7. A remote control handle assembly according claim 6, wherein the firstconnector includes a threaded connector mechanically and electrically connected to the first spherical portion.

8. A remote control handle assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7,20 wherein the handle is adapted to be rotated by the user continuously in one axis to rotate the search light continuously in one axis about the socket ball joint.

9. A remote control handle assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8,wherein the handle is adapted to be moved by the user to pivot the search light about the socket ball joint over a range of ±28 degrees from the horizon line of the search25 light.

10. A remote control handle assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further including a remote switch mounted to the handle that is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a wireless module of the search light electrically connected to the2021205023   24 Sep 2026first connector and the second connector, whereby the wireless module is configured to receive commands from the remote switch to operate the search light.

11. A remote control handle assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further including a bracket adjacent the socket ball joint for mounting to a roof of a 5 vehicle.

12. A remote control handle assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further including an active spring coil adapted to provide a bias against the handle shaft so that the handle shaft returns to the centre when the user is not moving the handle shaft.

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