U.S. patent application number 10/862571 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-08 for magnetic compass.
Invention is credited to Chang, Gin-Sung.
Application Number | 20050268477 10/862571 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35446096 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050268477 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang, Gin-Sung |
December 8, 2005 |
MAGNETIC COMPASS
Abstract
A magnetic compass includes a base having a receiving chamber
for receiving a compass body, a battery chamber for receiving a
battery set, an illuminant chamber for receiving an illuminant, and
a locating chamber for receiving an electrically conductive member.
The illuminant has a first terminal suspended above the battery
set. A push button is supported on the first terminal of the
illuminant for pressing by the user to force the first terminal of
the illuminant downwards into contact with a first terminal of the
battery set. The conductive member has a base frame mounted in the
locating chamber, and a contact portion extended from the base
frame and inserted into the battery chamber and pressed on a second
terminal of the battery set. A second terminal of the illuminant is
electrically connected to the base frame of the conductive
member.
Inventors: |
Chang, Gin-Sung; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Family ID: |
35446096 |
Appl. No.: |
10/862571 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
33/355R |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 17/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
033/355.00R |
International
Class: |
G01C 017/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A magnetic compass comprising: a base having a hollow base body
and a top cover covering said hollow base body, said hollow base
body having a receiving chamber, a top opening in a top side of
said receiving chamber, a battery chamber, a battery insertion
opening in a top side of said battery chamber, and an illuminant
chamber in communication between said receiving chamber and said
battery chamber, said top cover closing said top opening of said
hollow base body, said top cover having a view window corresponding
to said receiving chamber and a through hole corresponding to said
battery chamber; a compass body situated within said receiving
chamber of said hollow base body of said base, said compass body
having a housing, a magnetic needle pivotally mounted within said
housing, and an indication card mounted in said housing; a battery
set mounted within said battery chamber, said battery set having a
first terminal thereof aimed at said battery insertion opening and
a second terminal; an illuminant situated within said illuminant
chamber and aimed at a periphery of said compass body, said
illuminant having a first terminal suspended in said battery
insertion opening and a second terminal; a push button supported on
the first terminal of said illuminant above said battery chamber
and partially inserted through the through hole of said top cover
to the outside of said base for pressing by the user to force the
first terminal of said illuminant downwards into contact with the
first terminal of said battery set; and a top lid pivotally
connected with one end thereof to said base by a pivot for covering
said base, said top lid having a biconvex lens mounted therein;
wherein said hollow base body further comprises a locating chamber
disposed at one side of and in communication with said battery
chamber; said magnetic compass further comprises an electrically
conductive member for connecting one terminal of said battery set
to the second terminal of said illuminant, said conductive member
having a base frame mounted in said locating chamber, and a contact
portion extended from said base frame and inserted into said
battery chamber and pressed on the second terminal of said battery
set; the second terminal of said illuminant is electrically
connected to said base frame of said conductive member.
2. The magnetic compass as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
conductive member further comprises two protruding strips
respectively upwardly extended from two opposite lateral sides of
said base frame and respectively stopped against one side of said
locating chamber at one side to force said base frame against an
opposite side of said locating chamber.
3. The magnetic compass as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
conductive member further comprises a locating strip outwardly
extended from a top side of said flat rectangular base frame and
curved backwards to hold down the second terminal of said
illuminant on said flat rectangular base frame.
4. The magnetic compass as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact
portion of said conductive member is upwardly outwardly extended
from a bottom of said base frame and smoothly arched.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a magnetic compass and more
particularly, to such a magnetic compass that is usable in the
dark.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a magnetic compass 80
constructed according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,277. According to this
design, the magnetic compass 80 comprises a compass body 81, an
illuminant 82, a conductive copper ring 83, a battery set 84 (which
is consisted of a plurality of flat cylindrical lithium batteries
that are stacked one by one), a base 85, a top lid 86, and a push
button 87. The base 85 comprises a receiving chamber 851 that
accommodates the compass body 81, a battery chamber 852 that
accommodates the conductive copper ring 83, and an illuminant
chamber 853 that accommodates the illuminant 82. The battery set 84
is situated within the conductive copper ring 83. The illuminant 82
comprises a first terminal 821 suspending above the battery set 84
and a second terminal 822 electrically connected to the conductive
copper ring 83. The top lid 86 is covered on the base 85, having a
button hole 861 corresponding to the battery chamber 852. The push
button 87 is mounted in the button hole 861 of the top lid 86 and
supported on the first terminal 821 of the illuminant 82. When
pressed the push button 87, the first terminal 821 of the
illuminant 82 is forced into contact with the battery set 84,
thereby closing the circuit of the battery set 84 and the
illuminant 82, and therefore the illuminant 82 is turned on to emit
light toward the periphery of the compass body 81. Therefore, the
magnetic compass 80 is effectively usable under low light
conditions.
[0005] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 6 again, the inner diameter of
the conductive copper ring 83 is greater than the outer diameter of
the battery set 84 so that the battery set 84 can conveniently be
put into or taken out of the battery chamber 852. However, the
presence of a gap between the conductive copper ring 83 and the
battery set 84 may cause contact failure, thereby resulting in
unstable supply of electricity to the illuminant 82.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present
invention to provide a magnetic compass that provides a stable
illumination effect.
[0007] To achieve this object of the present invention, the
magnetic compass comprises a base, a compass body, a battery set,
an illuminant, a push button and an electrically conductive member.
The base includes a hollow base body and a top cover covering the
hollow base body. The hollow base body has a receiving chamber for
receiving the compass body, a battery chamber for receiving the
battery set, an illuminant chamber for receiving the illuminant,
and a locating chamber for receiving the conductive member. The top
cover has a through hole corresponding to the battery chamber. The
illuminant has a first terminal suspended above the battery set.
The push button is supported on the first terminal of the
illuminant and movably mounted in the through hole of the top cover
for pressing by the user to force the first terminal of the
illuminant downwards into contact with a first terminal of the
battery set. The conductive member has a base frame mounted in the
locating chamber, and a contact portion extended from the base
frame and inserted into the battery chamber and pressed on a second
terminal of the battery set. A second terminal of the illuminant is
electrically connected to the base frame of the conductive
member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a magnetic compass according
to the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a top view in an enlarged scale of a part of the
bas of the magnetic compass according to the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a top view in an enlarged scale of the magnetic
compass according to the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.
4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a magnetic compass constructed
according to U.S. Pat. No.6,578,277.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of a part of
the magnetic compass shown in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, a magnetic compass 1 is shown comprised
of a base 10, a compass body 20, a battery set 30, an illuminant
40, a push button 50, an electrically conductive member 60, and a
top lid 70. The base 10 comprises a hollow base body 11 and a top
cover 12 covering the hollow base body 11.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 and FIG. I again, the hollow base
body 11 comprises a bottom wall 111, an upright peripheral wall 112
perpendicularly extended around the border of the bottom wall 111,
a barrel 113 perpendicularly upwardly extended from the bottom wall
111 and peripherally partially formed integral with the upright
peripheral wall 112, a receiving chamber 114 surrounded by the
upright peripheral wall 112 outside the barrel 113, a top opening
115 in the top side of the receiving chamber 114, a battery chamber
116 surrounded by the barrel 113, a battery insertion opening 117
in the top side of the battery chamber 116, an illuminant chamber
118 formed integral with the periphery of the barrel 113 in
communication between the receiving chamber 114 and the battery
chamber 116, and a locating chamber 119 formed integral with the
periphery of the barrel 113 in communication with the battery
chamber 116. The top cover 12 is fastened to the hollow base body
11 with screws 121 to close the top opening 115 of the hollow base
body 11, having a view window 122 corresponding to the receiving
chamber 114 and a through hole 123 corresponding to the battery
chamber 116 (see FIG. 1).
[0017] The compass body 20 is situated within the receiving chamber
114 of the hollow base body 11 of the base 10, comprising a housing
21, a magnetic needle 22 pivotally mounted within the housing 21,
an indication card 23 adhered to the top surface of the bottom wall
of the housing 21, and an ornamental ring 24 fastened to the top
side of the housing 21.
[0018] The battery set 30 is comprised of two flat cylindrical
lithium batteries, which are arranged in a stack (electrically
connected in series), and mounted within the battery chamber 115
with one terminal, for example, the positive terminal aimed at the
battery insertion opening 117.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the illuminant 40 according to
the present preferred embodiment is an LED (light emitting diode)
situated within the illuminant chamber 118 and aimed at the
periphery of the compass body 20, having a first terminal 41
suspended in the battery insertion opening 117 and a second
terminal 42 suspended in the top side of the locating chamber
119.
[0020] The push button 50 is supported on the first terminal 41 of
the illuminant 40 above the battery chamber 116 and partially
inserted through the through hole 123 of the top cover 12 to the
outside of the base 10 for pressing by the user to force the first
terminal 41 of the illuminant 40 downwards into contact with the
positive terminal of the battery set 30.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 5 again, the electrically conductive
member 60 made of metal comprises a flat rectangular base frame 61
mounted in the locating chamber 119, a contact portion 62 extended
from the bottom side of the flat rectangular base frame 61 and
curved upwardly outwards toward the inside of the battery chamber
116 and pressed on the other terminal, namely, the negative
terminal of the battery set 30, two protruding strips 64
respectively upwardly extended from two opposite lateral sides of
the flat rectangular base frame 61 on the middle and respectively
stopped against the inside wall of the locating chamber 119 at one
side to force the flat rectangular base frame 61 against the inside
wall of the locating chamber 119 at the other side, and a locating
strip 65 outwardly extended from the top side of the flat
rectangular base frame 61 and curved backwards to hold down the
second terminal 42 of the illuminant 40 on the flat rectangular
base frame 61. Therefore, the illuminant 40 and the metal
conductive member 60 are electrically connected.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1 again, the top lid 70 is pivotally
connected with one end thereof to the base 10 by a pivot 71, and
adapted to close the top open side of the base 10 and to further
protect the compass body 20 against external bodies. The user may
open the top lid 70 from the base 10 to read the indication of the
magnetic needle 22 of the compass body 20 through the view window
122 of the top cover 12 of the base 10. Further, a biconvex lens 72
is mounted in the top lid 70.
[0023] As indicated above, the metal conductive member 60 holds
down the battery set 30 in the battery chamber 116, therefore the
battery set 30 is constantly maintained in positive contact with
the metal conductive member 60. When the user pressed the push
button 50 to force the first terminal 41 of the illuminant 40 into
contact with the positive terminal of the battery set 30,
electricity is provided to the illuminant 40, thereby causing the
illuminant 40 to emit light toward the periphery of the compass
body 20.
* * * * *