ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 24 -- United States Patent no. 12,742,525, issued on Sept. 22.

"Scuba light with offset battery cases" was invented by Charles Lamar English Jr. (Saint Marks, Fla.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A handheld SCUBA light uses a D-shaped handle for grasping. A juncture member is attached on the top of the handle and has a light casing extending forwardly and a pair of battery casings each extending angularly and rearwardly therefrom. The battery casings each have a longitudinal axis passing therethrough, such that these two axis interest at a point forward of the battery casings. The longitudinal axis of the light casing either intersects the axis of the battery casings or ...