CASE STUDY CLAMPING FLASHLIGHT
FUTURE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS
Stanley’s Wide-Beam Clamp-On LED Flashlight
Hits the Target with Future Lighting Solutions
Hands-free clamp flashlight uses LEDs for hot
spot-free beam spread and
low-power cordless operation
In late 2008, Stanley Hand Tools decided to add a hands-free clamp-on u lity
flashlight to its growing family of LED flashlight products. The use of solid
state ligh ng would provide important benefits over clamp-on halogen
alterna ves – including the ability to operate cordlessly with a long ba ery
run me because of the lower LED power consump on – but the project
presented more complex engineering challenges than Stanley’s earlier LED
products in part because of a plan to create a floodlight-style beam. Future
Ligh ng Solu ons backed Stanley up with op cal and thermal engineering
support, guidance on the board design, and local parts supply to Stanley’s
contract manufacturer in China. The finished product – the Stanley 95-891
Clamping Flashlight – features a single 90 lumen LUXEON® Rebel LED, a
Future-op mized ligh ng system design, and patented Stanley ba ery and
rota ng head technology for long ba ery life and precise light placement.
CLAMPED TO SELL
For Stanley Hand Tools, a division of Stanley Black & Decker that specializes
in construc on tools, the clamp-on LED flashlight was a product with
substan al market poten al. The hands-free feature would be useful for
everyone from do-it-yourselfers to plumbers, contractors and campers. The
use of LEDs would offer benefits not available from compe ve products.
Flashlight head swivels 350° and tilts
120° for precise light placement
May 12th, 2010
“Halogen versions of clamp flashlights cannot evenly illuminate a large
work surface without hot spots. They also lack a prac cal ba ery op on
because of the power requirements,” said Tom Chang, Product Manager
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CASE STUDY CLAMPING FLASHLIGHT
FUTURE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS
“The combination of LUXEON Rebel PC Amber LEDs and the assistance of
Future Lighting Solutions in providing samples, design aid and technical
support allowed us to bring a turtle-friendly solar-powered lighting solution to
market quickly and successfully.”
for Stanley Hand Tools. “We knew that solid state ligh ng could help solve
those problems as well as offering addi onal advantages such as breakage
resistance and a cooler beam.”
To address the need for even light distribu on over a wide surface area,
Stanley’s engineers developed a reflector design that would maximize the
beam diameter and – in conjunc on with the op cal proper es of the LED
package – eliminate the hot spot problem. At that point Future Ligh ng
Solu ons, the exclusive supplier of LUXEON LEDs for partner Philips Lumileds
as well as a provider of LED applica on development tools and services,
stepped in to determine how the proposed reflector would spread the light
as well as to help Stanley achieve the target photometric specifica ons.
BEAMING UP PERFORMANCE
U lizing Future-exclusive design and simula on tools, Future engineers performed
hours of op cal and thermal simula ons to help Stanley op mize the system
design, deliver the best performance at the lowest cost, and avoid the me and
expense of prototyping. Future’s findings and recommenda ons became the
blueprint for the ligh ng component of the finished product, including:
Up to 30 hours of run time on
two or four C batteries
• Use of one 90 lumen cool white LUXEON Rebel LED driven at
350 mA to deliver the desired light output and most lumens per
dollar.
• Use of Stanley’s own reflector design rather than an off-the-shelf
optic, based on Future’s determination that the reflector would
generate the desired light distribution pattern.
• Replacement of a custom triangular board originally proposed
by Stanley with a standard rectangular FR4 printed circuit board
with heavy-gauge copper that would maximize the heat flow,
eliminate the need for a separate heat sink, and reduce board
costs by avoiding a non-standard shape.
• Positioning of the LED board relative to the reflector for the best
and most efficient beam performance.
May 12th, 2010
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CASE STUDY CLAMPING FLASHLIGHT
FUTURE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS
“Part of the strategy for our LED flashlight line is to provide more func onality
than alterna ve products. In this case, that required highly technical LED
applica on development knowledge that we have never needed in-house
because only a few of our products involve ligh ng at all,” Chang said.
“Future’s LED engineering exper se was cri cal in enabling us to bring this
par cular product to market.”
Jaw-like clamping arm attaches to
objects for hands-free use
Future is also providing a one-stop source for LEDs, boards, Zetex drivers
from Diodes Incorporated and other ligh ng components as well as supply
chain services customized to Stanley’s geographical and logis cs needs.
Components are stored and shipped from a Future warehouse in China under
a bonded inventory program, ensuring reliable parts supply to Stanley’s local
contract manufacturer as well as elimina ng the lag me that would be
involved in shipping from Future’s distribu on center in North America.
WORKHORSE WORKLIGHT
Contact Information
In North America:
1-888-LUXEON2
[email protected]
In Europe:
00-800-44FUTURE
[email protected]
In Asia:
+800-LUMILEDS
[email protected]
In Japan:
+81-0120-667-013
[email protected]
www.FutureLightingSolutions.com
Philips Lumileds
370 W. Trimble Road
San Jose, CA 95131
www.PhilipsLumileds.com
May 12th, 2010
In September 2009, the first wave of new Stanley 95-891 Clamping Flashlights
shipped to major U.S. hardware store chains packed with unique features. In
addi on to the extra-wide beam produced by Stanley’s custom reflector and
the LED ligh ng assembly, the flashlight has a spring-loaded clamping arm
at the rear of the unit that opens like a jaw for a achment to ceiling beams,
floor joists, table tops and other objects up to 3-1/2” thick for hands-free
use. The patented 350° rota onal head with a 120° lt can be used to aim
the light precisely where it is needed.
Also unique is patented Stanley ba ery technology that can deliver 15 or 30
hours of run me, u lizing either two or four C ba eries, without affec ng
the flashlight’s 80 lumen output. “Trying to use ba eries with a halogen
bulb on this kind of product would give you very li le run me. That’s why
halogen versions are corded,” Chang noted. “Our cordless product offers
much more flexibility because you don’t need access to an electrical outlet
to use the flashlight.”
By early 2010, a er strong response from U.S. hardware stores, Stanley had
expanded distribu on to the United Kingdom, was launching the product in
Europe, and was preparing to branch out to U.S. home centers. Credit goes
to Stanley’s product concept as well as the decision to ask Future Ligh ng
Solu ons to help light the way. It was a twin flash of inspira on that paid off
with a product that is redefining the clamping flashlight category.
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