U.S. patent number 3,806,724 [Application Number 05/162,852] was granted by the patent office on 1974-04-23 for disposable composite conductor tube for flashlight constructions.
Invention is credited to David E. Staub, Terry F. Tanner.
United States Patent |
3,806,724 |
Tanner , et al. |
April 23, 1974 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
DISPOSABLE COMPOSITE CONDUCTOR TUBE FOR FLASHLIGHT
CONSTRUCTIONS
Abstract
A conductor tube construction suitable for use in disposable
flashlights, or the like, which, because of its simplicity is both
extremely economical to produce and is therefore feasibly
disposable.
Inventors: |
Tanner; Terry F. (St.
Petersburg, FL), Staub; David E. (Clearwater, FL) |
Family
ID: |
22587395 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/162,852 |
Filed: |
July 15, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/189; 439/627;
439/253 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V
21/0885 (20130101); F21V 23/0414 (20130101); F21L
4/005 (20130101); F21V 15/01 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21V
23/04 (20060101); F21l 007/00 (); H01r
025/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/10.66,1.6R,10.6,6.4Z ;339/244R,152,69 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Queisser; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Yasich; Daniel M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stein, Orman and Fisher
Claims
We claim:
1. A disposable flashlight construction including, in combination,
an outer open ended cylindrical casing, a composite cylinder in
said casing, a source of battery power within the cylinder, a
flashlight bulb disposed in one end of said casing, said composite
cylinder having one terminal in direct electrical contact with one
terminal of said power source, an apertured member adjacent said
one end of said casing for receiving a terminal portion of the
lightbulb, each end portion of said casing being turned inwardly of
said casing, said one end portion enclosing the bulb and apertured
member providing an abutment on engagement with said one terminal
of the bulb, and means in the opposite end portion of said casing
disposed in abutting relation with the adjacent inwardly disposed
other end portion of said casing for exerting a force of
compression through the source of battery power and toward
apertured member and the bulb, said composite cylinder comprising
an inner surface of dielectric material and an outer surface of
electrically conductive material having a portion internally of
said composite cylinder in conductive contact with said one
terminal of the bulb, said composite cylinder at its inwardly
turned forward end being further turned toward said opposite end of
said casing and said electrically conductive material snugly
overlying the adjacent dielectric surface of said composite
cylinder forming a chamber of less internal diameter than that of
said composite cylinder at said forward end, and an "on-off" switch
carried through an aperture in said casing having contact with the
other terminal of the power source, and having selective contact
with said outer surface of the conductive surface of said composite
tube through a second aperture in the casing.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said composite
cylinder comprises a tube of electrically conductive material and a
tube of dielectric material telescopically and intimately assembled
one within the other for substantially the full length of the
composite cylinder.
Description
NATURE AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
This invention is an improvement in flashlight construction and
consists primarily of a composite tube of substantially concentric
inner and outer tube sections, one of which is made of suitable
dielectric material and the other is preferably formed of a thin
wall of an electric conductor, such as a metallic foil closely
associated together and in which, as illustrated herein, one end
portion of the conductor section is formed to overlie the adjacent
end portion of the dielectric tube and both end portions are folded
inwardly of the composite tube and to form a chamber for receiving
and retaining a light bulb therein.
This composite tube is adapted to receive within it one or more
battery cells arranged in series. Its forward end supports a light
bulb energizible by the battery cells through contact with the
inturned portion of the conductor section.
THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a flashlight construction
such as a pocket or pencil light.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial section of the same.
FIG. 3 is a broken longitudinal section through the composite tube,
per se.
FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken at line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
and
FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION
The invention resides in a conductor tube for use, for instance, in
flashlights of the pocket or pencil type and, more particularly, is
a composite conductor tube of improved construction which,
according to the form illustrated, consists of an inner tube or
cylinder of dielectric material and an outer cylinder of a thin
walled electric conducting material, such as metallic foil of good
conducting quality.
In the drawing which illustrates a form of the invention shown as
applied in use, the composite conductor tube comprises an outer
cylinder or layer of electrically conductive material 1 and an
inner cylinder of dielectric material 2 closely associated or
adhered together throughout the length of the outer conductive
sleeve or cylinder, forming together a receptacle for one or more
battery cells 3 in series relation. The forward end portion of the
composite tube is inturned upon itself to provide a chamber 4 at
the forward end of less internal diameter than that of the major
portion of the tube to receive and support a light bulb 5 within
the composite tube, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The flashlight casing 6 comprises a cylinder formed at its rear end
as at to provide an annular inturned flanged 8 for supporting the
disc 9 against which one end of the compression spring 10 is
seated, the opposite end of the spring exerting its force of
compression against the base or negative terminal of the rear
battery cell 3. The opposite or forward end of the casing is rolled
inwardly to provide an annular flange 11 against which a washer or
apertured member 12 is engaged when the flashlight is fully
assembled.
The flashlight bulb is retained in place in the restricted chamber
by a shoulder 13 in engagement with the member 12 and a washer 14
behind the shoulder which annularly overlies the turned-in end wall
15 of the composite tube. The shank 16 of the bulb being of
conductive material is in electrical contact with the turned-in end
portion of the outer section 1 of the conductor tube, while its
electrode 17 is in contact with the battery
The outer casing 6 is provided with longitudinally aligned openings
19 and 20 accommodating a conductor clip having resilient portions
21 embracing the outer conductive surface of the battery 3 disposed
in the rear end of the casing against the spring 10, and a
resilient contact arm 22 which projects through the opening 19 and
forwardly along the outside of the casing 6 to a point opposite the
opening 20. The arm 22 is normally urged in spaced relation above
the opening 20. It will be noted that the conductor tube section 1
underlies the opening 20 at its rear end portions and when the arm
22 is depressed toward the portion 23 of tube section 1 immediately
opposite the opening 20 and brought into contact with portion 23 as
shown in FIG. 2, an electrical circuit is completed through the
batteries to thus activate the bulb 5.
Since the flashlight construction illustrated is extremely
inexpensive to produce and is permanently self contained, thus
precluding replacement of batteries or bulb, it is feasibly
disposable. By virtue of the unique composite tube construction as
applied to flashlight structures, permanent assembly in manufacture
is a simple procedure.
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