U.S. patent number RE38,014 [Application Number 08/433,986] was granted by the patent office on 2003-03-04 for miniature flashlight.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Mag Instrument, Inc.. Invention is credited to Lee K. Bieberstein.
United States Patent |
RE38,014 |
Bieberstein |
March 4, 2003 |
Miniature flashlight
Abstract
A waterproof flashlight wherein the flashlight is activated by
means of a switch located in the flashlight's end cap. Another
aspect of the invention being the orientation of the positive
terminals of the flashlight's batteries away from the head
assembly.
Inventors: |
Bieberstein; Lee K. (Newport
Beach, CA) |
Assignee: |
Mag Instrument, Inc. (Ontario,
CA)
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Family
ID: |
27052962 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/433,986 |
Filed: |
May 4, 1995 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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498824 |
Mar 22, 1990 |
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Reissue of: |
896940 |
Aug 15, 1986 |
04733337 |
Mar 22, 1988 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
362/206; 200/60;
362/157; 362/187; 362/198; 362/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V
23/0421 (20130101); F21L 2/00 (20130101); F21V
23/0414 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21L 007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;362/157,158,187,198,202,204,205,206,207 ;200/60 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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411218 |
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Jun 1934 |
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GB |
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514620 |
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Nov 1930 |
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JP |
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1419704 |
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Dec 1939 |
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JP |
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4533197 |
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Dec 1970 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Husar; Stephen F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lyon & Lyon LLP
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
07/498,824, filed Mar. 22, 1990, now abandoned..Iaddend.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flashlight, comprising: a lamp bulb holder; a head assembly,
said assembly including a lens through which light from a bulb held
by said lamp holder can be emitted; an elongated battery retainer
for retaining one or more dry cell batteries in series, each of
said batteries having a positively and a negatively charged
terminal, said positively charged terminal oriented away from said
head assembly; a spring to bias said batteries away from said head
assembly; an end cap opposite said assembly from said battery
retainer; and a switch mechanism in said end cap including a
nonconductive contact housing, said housing including a recess
having a depth slightly less than the height of said positively
charged terminal and a width slightly greater than the width of
said positively charged terminal, said positive terminal being
received by said recess and being protected from damage by said
housing.
2. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises two
interlocking pieces.
3. A waterproof flashlight, comprising: an elongate battery
retainer for retaining one or more dry cell batteries in series,
each of said batteries having a positively and a negatively charged
terminal; a bi-pin lamp bulb holder; a bulb-battery contact adapted
to electrically connect one pin of a bi-pin bulb held by said
holder to one of said terminals of a dry cell battery retained by
said battery retainer; a head assembly, said assembly including a
lens through which light from a bulb held by said lamp holder can
be emitted; means for creating a fluid-tight seal between said
assembly and said battery retainer; an end cap opposite said
assembly from said battery retainer; means for creating a
fluid-tight seal between said end cap and said battery retainer;
means to electrically connect said end cap to the other pin of a
bi-pin lamp held by said lamp holder; and a switch mechanism in
said end cap, said mechanism comprising: a nonconductive contact
housing which defines a cavity; a battery-cavity contact adapted to
electrically connect said cavity to a terminal of a dry-cell
battery retained by said retainer having a charge opposite to said
terminal electrically connected by said bulb-battery contact to
said bi-pin bulb; a means-cavity contact adapted to electrically
connect said other pin connecting means to said housing cavity; an
electrically conductive shorting member adapted to be movable
within said cavity of said housing so as to selectively
electrically connect and disconnect said battery-cavity and said
means-cavity contacts; a plunger/button; a fluid-tight diaphragm
separating said plunger and said shorting member, said plunger
adapted to force said diaphragm against said shorting member in
order to move said member in said cavity.
4. A waterproof flashlight of claim 3, further comprising one or
more dry-cell batteries retained by said battery retainer, said
batteries having positive terminals oriented away from said head
assembly.
5. The flashlight of claim 4, wherein said contact housing includes
a recess having a depth slightly less than the height of said
positive terminals of said batteries and a width slightly greater
than the width of said positive terminals of said batteries, one of
said positive terminals being received by said recess and being
protected from damage by said housing.
6. The flashlight of claim 5, wherein said contact housing
comprises two interlocking pieces.
7. The flashlight of claim 6, further comprising a reflector within
said head assembly and means to adjust the relative position of
said reflector and a bi-pin lamp bulb held by said holder to adjust
a beam of light emitted by said flashlight.
8. The flashlight of claim 7, further comprising a flexible neck
between said head assembly and said retainer to permit the position
of said head assembly to be varied independently of said
retainer.
9. The flashlight of claim 3, wherein said contact housing is
comprised of two interlocking pieces.
10. The flashlight of claim 9, further comprising a reflector
within said head assembly and means to adjust the relative position
of said reflector and a bi-pin lamp bulb held by said holder to
adjust a beam of light emitted by said flashlight.
11. A flashlight of claim 10, further comprising a flexible neck
between said retainer and said head assembly to permit the position
of said head assembly to be varied independently of said
retainer.
12. The flashlight of claim 3, wherein said contact housing
comprises two interlocking pieces.
13. The flashlight of claim 3, further comprising a reflector
within said head assembly and means to adjust the relative position
between said reflector and a bi-pin lamp bulb held by said holder
to adjust a beam of light emitted by said flashlight.
14. The flashlight of claim 3, further comprising an adjustable
neck between said head assembly and said retainer to permit the
position of said head assembly to be varied independently of said
retainer.
15. A waterproof flashlight, comprising: a generally cylindrical
elongate anodized conductive battery retainer including a hollow
generally cylindrical chamber for holding one or more dry cell
batteries in series, said retainer including a radially inwardly
directed lip along one end, a set of external threads proximate
said lip, an o-ring within an annular groove opposite said lip from
and proximate to said external threads, and a set of internal
threads within the other end of said retainer; a lamp holder, said
holder including a two-piece nonconductive pin housing containing a
pair of channels for receiving the pins of a bi-pin lamp bulb, a
bulb-spring contact within one of said channels for connecting one
of said pins to a conductive battery-biasing spring which is
adapted to electrically connect the negative terminal of the one of
the batteries retained by said retainer and bias said batteries
away from said lamp holder, and a bulb-retainer contact within the
other of said channels for connecting another of said pins to said
retainer; a generally cylindrical head assembly, said assembly
comprising: a head casing, said casing including external threads
at one end, a bore through said casing slightly larger in diameter
than the exterior diameter of said retainer, and internal threads
within said bore, said threads being interengageable with said
exterior threads of said retainer; a substantially parabolic
reflector having an opening at its apex through which the head of a
bi-pin lamp bulb is loosely slideable, a generally radially outward
directed annular lip having an outer diameter larger than said bore
and smaller than said external threads of said casing, and a series
of pins spaced along the convex edge of said reflector and
substantially parallel to the axis of said reflector for receiving
and retaining spare bi-pin lamp bulbs; a generally circular planar
lens through which light can be emitted from a bi-pin lamp in said
holder said lens having a diameter essentially equal to said outer
diameter of said annular lip; and a head cap including a bore
through said head cap, internal threads at one end, said internal
threads being interengageable with said external threads of said
casing, a generally L-shaped inner annular lip at the other end,
the space between said lip and said bore forming an annular groove;
an o-ring in said annular groove for forming a fluid-tight seal
with the outer edge of the circular surface of said lens and
forcing said lens tightly against said reflector and said reflector
tightly against said casing; an end cap, said end cap defining a
waterproof chamber and a button/plunger chamber; an o-ring within
said annular groove in said end cap for forming a fluid-tight seal
with said retainer; a switch mechanism for selectively opening and
closing the electrical circuit of said flashlight, comprising: a
plunger, said plunger including a shaft portion, radially outward
extending ribs includes cam surfaces proximate said shaft portion,
and an actuating portion; a cup-shaped button upon which force may
be applied to operate said mechanism, having an open end within
which said shaft portion of said plunger is rotatable and
slideable, and radially outward extending guides, said guides
forming a series of axially extending cam surfaces along the rim of
said open end for interacting with said cam surfaces of said
plunger to rotate said plunger; a plunger cylinder which fits
within said plunger/button chamber and within which said button and
plunger are slideable, said cylinder defining three chambers; an
access chamber at the mouth of said end cap which permits said
closed and of said button to slide beyond the end of said end cap;
a grooved guide chamber having grooves for receiving and slideably
retaining said guides and cam surfaces for interacting with said
cam surfaces of said ribs to rotate said plunger, and a rotational
chamber within which said ribs of said plunger are freely
rotatable; a flat annular ring which fits tightly against the
shoulder between said waterproof chamber and said plunger/button
chamber and has an inner diameter such that said actuating portion
of said plunger is freely slideable therethrough; a circular
diaphragm having an axially-raised annular lip and a axially raised
axial cylindrical projection; a two-piece, cup-shaped,
interlocking, nonconductive contact housing, said housing defining
a cavity and including external threads at one end for
interengaging said internal threads of said end cap, cylindrical
recess opposite the interior of said housing having a depth
slightly less and a diameter slightly greater than the height and
width, respectively, of a positive terminal of a dry cell battery
in said retainer; a battery-cavity contact adapted to connect the
positive terminal of a battery located within said recess of said
switch contact housing to said cavity; a cavity-end cap contact
adapted to connect said cavity to the interior wall of said end
cap; and a cylindrical, electrically conductive shorting member
slideably mounted within said cavity to selectively electrically
connect and disconnect said battery-cavity contact and said
cavity-end cap contact; a member-biasing spring within said cavity
adapted to bias said member against said diaphragm. .Iadd.
16. A flashlight comprising: a elongate battery retainer for
retaining at least one dry cell battery therein; a head assembly
rotatably disposed external to one end of the retainer and
containing a lens, a reflector and a lens bulb; an end cap disposed
proximate the opposite end of said retainer from said head assembly
and defining a chamber therein; circuit means for electrically
coupling a first contact of the lamp bulb to a first battery
electrode and a second contact of the lamp bulb to a second battery
electrode; a switch mechanism disposed in said end cap for
selectively opening and closing said circuit means within said end
cap, said mechanism comprising: a plunger including a shaft
portion, radially outward extending ribs including cam surfaces
proximate said shaft portion, and an actuating portion; an
actuating member upon which force may be applied to operate said
mechanism, having an open end within which said shaft portion of
said plunger is rotatable and axially slideable, and radially
outward extending guides, said guides forming a series of axially
extending cam surfaces along the rim of said open end for
interacting with said cam surfaces of said plunger to rotate said
plunger; a plunger cylinder which fits within said chamber in said
end cap and within which said actuating member and said plunger are
axially slideable and from which said actuating portion of said
plunger projects, said cylinder defining a grooved guide chamber
having grooves for receiving and slidably retaining said guides and
cam surfaces for interacting with the cam surfaces of said ribs to
rotate said plunger and alternately dispose said plunger in a
retracted or extended position with respect to said cylinder; an
electrical contact member disposed within said end cap and axially
movable therein between a first position and a second position in
response to axial sliding movement of said plunger to open and
close said circuit means; and a spring member for biasing said
contact member toward said first position..Iaddend..Iadd.
17. The flashlight of claim 16 wherein rotational movement of the
head assembly with respect to the retainer varies the relative
positional relationship between the reflector and the lamp bulb
when said lamp bulb is energized thereby providing an adjustable
focus of light emission from the flashlight lens independent of
said switch mechanism..Iaddend..Iadd.
18. The flashlights of claims 16 or 17 wherein the dry cell battery
is retained in a fixed disposition within said battery
retainer..Iaddend..Iadd.
19. A flashlight, comprising: an elongate battery retainer for
retaining at least one dry cell battery therein; a head assembly
rotatably disposed external to one end of the retainer and
containing a lens, a reflector and lamp bulb; an end cap disposed
proximate the opposite end of said retainer from said head assembly
and defining a chamber therein; circuit means for electrically
coupling a first contact of the lamp bulb to a first battery
electrode and a second contact of the lamp bulb to a second battery
electrode; and a switch mechanism disposed in said end cap for
selectively opening and closing said circuit means, said mechanism
comprising: a cylindrical member disposed within said chamber in
said end cap; an actuating member slidably mounted within said
cylindrical member; a plunger slidably mounted within said
cylindrical member adjacent said actuating member and including an
actuating portion projecting from said cylindrical member; means
defined by said cylindrical member, actuating member and said
plunger for alternately projecting and retracting said actuating
portion of said plunger with respect to said cylindrical member
upon an axial force being applied to said actuating member; an
electrical contact member axially movable within said end caps
between a first position and a second position in response to axial
sliding movement of said plunger to open and close said circuit
means; and a spring member for biasing said contact member to said
first position..Iaddend..Iadd.
20. The flashlight of claim 19 wherein rotational movement of the
head assembly with respect to the retainer varies the relative
positional relationship between the reflector and the lamp bulb
when said lamp bulb is energized thereby providing an adjustable
focus of light emission from the flashlight lens independent of
said switch mechanism..Iaddend..Iadd.
21. The flashlight of claims 19 or 20 wherein the dry cell battery
is retained in a fixed disposition within said battery
retainer..Iaddend..Iadd.
22. A flashlight comprising: an elongate battery retainer for
retaining at least one dry cell battery therein; a head assembly
rotatably disposed external to one end of the retainer and
containing a lens, a reflector and lamp bulb; an end cap disposed
proximate the opposite end of said retainer from said head
assembly; circuit means for electrically coupling a first contact
of the lamp bulb to a first battery electrode and a second contact
of the lamp bulb to a second battery electrode; a switch mechanism
in said end cap for selectively opening and closing said circuit
means within said end cap, said mechanism including a plunger
adapted for axial reciprocal movement within said end cap, an
actuating member for moving said plunger, a contact member mounted
for axial reciprocal movement within said end cap between a first
position and a second position in response to axial movement of
said plunger to open and close said circuit means, and a spring
member for biasing said contact toward said first position; and
wherein rotational movement of the head assembly with respect to
the retainer varies a relative positional relationship between the
reflector and the lamp bulb when said lamp bulb is energized
thereby providing an adjustable focus of light emission from a
flashlight lens independent of said switch
mechanism..Iaddend..Iadd.
23. The flashlight of claim 22 wherein said dry cell battery is
retained in a fixed disposition within said battery
retainer..Iaddend..Iadd.
24. A flashlight comprising: an elongate battery retainer for
retaining at least one dry cell battery therein; a head assembly
rotatably disposed external to one end of the retainer and
containing a lens, a reflector and a lamp bulb; means for
electrically coupling a first electrode of a battery to a first
contact of the lamp bulb; means including said elongate battery
retainer for electrically coupling a second electrode of a battery
to a second contact of the lamp bulb; an end cap switch assembly
disposed proximate the opposite end of said retainer from said head
assembly, said switch assembly including a contact adapted to be
moved toward and away from said head assembly between a first
position and a second position, independently of said head
assembly, in response to movement of at least a portion of the
switch assembly with respect to the battery retainer for
selectively closing an opening one of the electrically coupling
means to energize and deenergize the lamp bulb; and wherein
rotational movement of the head assembly with respect to the
retainer varies the relative positional relationship between the
reflector and the lamp bulb when said lamp bulb is energized
thereby providing an adjustable focus of light emission from the
flashlight lens independent of the end cap switch
assembly..Iaddend..Iadd.
25. The flashlight of claim 24 wherein said end cap switch assembly
includes a spring member for biasing said contact from electrical
communication with one of the electrodes of the
battery..Iaddend..Iadd.
26. A flashlight having a flashlight circuit comprising: a elongate
battery retainer for retaining at least one dry cell battery
therein; a lamp bulb; a first contact member for electrically
coupling a first electrode of a battery to a first contact of said
bulb; an end cap disposed adjacent one end of said retainer; a
second contact member adapted for electrical contact with a second
electrode of said battery; a switch within said end cap for
electrically coupling said second contact member to a second
contact of said bulb; a head assembly rotatably disposed external
to a second end of said retainer and containing a lens, a reflector
and said lamp bulb, wherein rotational movement of the head
assembly with respect to the retainer varies the relative
positional relationship between said reflector and said lamp
bulb..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates primarily to flashlights, and in
particular, to miniature hand-held flashlights.
Although miniature flashlights have long been known in the art, it
is only been recently, with the development of miniature flashlight
lamp bulbs having superior light-emitting characteristics and with
improvements in the reflective quality of in flashlight reflectors,
that there has developed a genus of high quality miniature
flashlights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,263 issued to Maglica discloses one member of
this genus. Maglica discloses a high quality, hermetically-sealed
miniature flashlight having a rotating head assembly which is used
to vary the relative positions of the bulb and the reflector in
order to adjust the flashlight beam from broad and diffuse to
narrow and concentrated. By continuing to rotate the head assembly
so that it is translated towards the tail cap of the flashlight,
the circuit between the bulb and the batteries is opened and the
flashlight is shut off.
Due to their compact size and their superior light emitting
characteristics, these high quality miniature flashlights are
particularly useful in emergencies. In these situations, however,
it is often the case that only one hand can be spared for operating
the flashlight. Unfortunately, it is somewhat cumbersome to actuate
the flashlight by rotating the head assembly with one hand.
Furthermore, when the flashlight needs to be used as a flashing
signal light, the rotating head assembly switch is inconvenient,
even when two hands are used to operate the switch.
During a crisis, it is particularly critical that the integrity of
the electrical contacts forming the flashlight's electrical circuit
be maintained. Unfortunately, it is in precisely these
circumstances that the flashlight is most likely to be dropped and
damaged. If the flashlight is dropped, the disproportionately large
percentage of the flashlight's mass located in the head assembly
will give the flashlight a tendency to strike the ground head
assembly first. This type of a fall will cause the flashlight's
batteries to be driven against the forward wall of the battery
retainer, thereby causing a disproportionately large percentage of
the impact to be borne by the raised nipple of the positive
terminal of the battery which rests against the front wall of the
retainer. As a result of this impact force, the nipple may be
crushed or dented; thereby, in view of the very small contact area
of these miniature batteries, potentially interrupting the
flashlight's electrical circuit.
Therefore, there is needed an improved miniature flashlight which
overcomes the drawbacks of prior miniature flashlight designs,
while retaining the waterproof and high quality light emitting
features which have led to the widespread use of these
flashlights.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises an improved waterproof flashlight wherein
the flashlight is activated by means of a switch located in the
flashlight's end cap.
The flashlight includes an elongate battery retainer, a bi-pin lamp
bulb holder, a bulb-battery contact adapted to electrically connect
one pin of a bi-pan bulb held by the lamp holder to a terminal of a
dry-cell battery in the batter retainer, a head assembly which
includes a lens through which light from a bulb held by the lamp
holder can be emitted, an end cap opposite the head assembly from
the battery retainer, and a switch mechanism in the end cap.
The flashlight also includes means for creating a fluid-tight seal
between the head assembly and means for creating a fluid-tight seal
between the battery retainer, and the battery retainer and the end
cap.
The switch mechanism provides the means by which the flashlight's
electrical circuit can be opened and closed. The switch mechanism
includes a nonconductive contact housing which defines a cavity.
The switch's battery-cavity contact is adapted to electrically
connect the cavity to a terminal of a battery within the battery
retainer having a charge opposite to the terminal electrically
connected to the bulb-battery contact of the bi-pin bulb. The
switch's cavity-end cap contact is adapted to electrically connect
the cavity to the other pin of a bi-pin lamp bulb retained by the
lamp holder. An electrically conductive shorting member is adapted
to be movable within the cavity of the contact housing so as to
selectively electrically connect and disconnect the battery-cavity
contact and the cavity-end cap contact to open and close the
flashlight's electrical circuit.
The switch is operated by means of a plunger/button which is
separated from the shorting member by means of a fluid-tight
diaphragm. The switch mechanism's plunger/button is adapted to
force the fluid-tight diaphragm against the shortning member and
thereby to move the shorting member within the housing cavity to
open or close the flashlight's electrical circuit.
Another feature of the present invention is a means of protecting
the raised positive terminals of dry cell batteries in flashlights
by means of orienting the positive terminals away from the
flashlight's head assembly and by providing a recess in the contact
housing having a depth slightly less than the height of the
battery's positive terminal and a width slightly greater than the
width of the battery's positive terminal so the positive terminal
is retained in the recess and is thereby protected from damage by
said housing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will now be described
with reference to drawings of a preferred embodiment which is
intended to illustrate, and not to limit, the invention, and in
which:
FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a miniature
flashlight of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along 2--2 of
the FIG. 1 illustrating the flashlight switch mechanism;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the switch mechanism
illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along 4--4 of
FIG. 1 illustrating the flashlight's head assembly;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the head assembly of FIG.
4;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the contacts and housing
of the flashlight's lamp holder;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective elevation view illustrating the
partially assembled lamp holder of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the flashlight's reflector
illustrating the position of the reflector's bulb holding pins;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along 10--10 of
FIG. 8 illustrating the head assembly of the flashlight; and
FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along 11--11 of
FIG. 8 illustrating the retainer cap of the flashlight of FIG.
8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a miniature flashlight 11
having a generally cylindrical, elongate battery retainer 13, a
larger diameter, generally cylindrical head assembly 15 secured to
one end of the retainer 13, and a generally cylindrical end cap 17
having a diameter essentially equivalent to that of the retainer
13, secured to the opposite end of the retainer. As better shown in
FIG. 2, the flashlight's electrical circuit is opened and closed by
means of a switch mechanism 19 located in the end cap 17 which is
operated by depressing a cup-shaped button 21.
In its preferred embodiment, the battery retainer 13 is fabricated
from anodized, heat treated aluminum and the retainer defines a
hollow, generally cylindrical chamber 23 for holding two AA
dry-cell batteries in series.
As shown in phantom in FIG. 1, a pair of dry cell batteries 25 are
oriented so that their negative terminals 27 face the head assembly
15 and their positive terminals 29 face the end cap 17. This
arrangement permits the brunt of a head assembly-first fall to be
borne by the base-plate of the negative terminal 27 of the battery
proximate the head assembly, rather than the fragile, raised
positive terminal. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4, a spring 28
located proximate the head assembly 15 biases the batteries 25 away
from the head assembly 15 and acts as a shock absorber to cushion
the batteries in the event of a head assembly first fall.
Referring to FIG. 2, the end cap 17 is secured to the retainer 13
by means of a set of internal threads 29 within the end of the
retainer, which are interengageable with a set of external threads
31 located at one end of the end cap 13. The internal threads 29 of
the retainer 13 are spaced slightly from the end of the retainer so
as to form a small skirt portion which fits tightly over a
corresponding cut-away portion of the end cap. An O-ring 33 is
provided in a groove 35 in the end cap opposite the mating skirt
portion ensure a fluid-tight seal between the retainer and the end
cap.
The end cap 13 houses the switch mechanism 19 of the flashlight 11
in two interconnecting cylindrical chambers. A first, waterproof
chamber 37 extends from the retainer roughly the length of the
external threads of the end cap. A short set of internal threads 39
are provided at the mouth of the waterproof chamber. A second,
longer but smaller diameter button/plunger chamber 41 extends the
length of the rest of the end cap 13. A relatively thin, radially
inward directed peripheral lip 43 is provided at the mouth of the
button/plunger chamber opposite the retainer 13.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the switch mechanism 19 includes a
cup-shaped button 21, a plunger 45, a plunger cylinder 47, an
annular ring 49, a diaphragm 51, a contact housing 53, a
battery-cavity contact 55, a cavity-end cap contact 57, a shorting
member 59, and a member-biasing spring 61. By depressing the
cup-shaped button 21, the plunger 45 is driven against the
diaphragm 51 to overcome the bias of the member-biasing spring 61
and cause the shorting member 59 to complete the circuit between
the battery-cavity contact 55 and the cavity-end cap contact
57.
As shown in FIG. 3, the plunger 45 includes a shaft portion 63,
radially outward extending ribs 65, and an actuating portion 67. As
best seen in FIG. 2, the ribs 65 possess cam surfaces 69 proximate
the shaft portion. The diameter of the plunger shaft is such that
the shaft is freely rotatable and slideable within the open end of
the cup-shaped button.
The button 21 is cup-shaped, having an open end 71 and a closed end
73. Around the open end of the button there are provided a series
of radially outward extending guides 75 which also form a series of
axially extending cam surfaces 77, in the form of serrated teeth,
along the rim of the open end 71 of the button 21. As best seen in
FIG. 2, the guides 75 are as wide as the ribs 65 of the plunger 45,
but do not extend as far outward as do the ribs.
Both the button 21 and the plunger 45 are housed by a hollow
plunger cylinder 47 which fits tightly within the button plunger
chamber 41 and is provided with a annular detent 79 along its
exterior end which mates with the end cap's peripheral lip 43. The
cylinder 47 defines three chambers. A cylindrical access chamber 81
at the mouth of the end cap 17 permits the closed end of the button
21 to slide beyond the end of the end cap 17 so that force may be
applied to it to operate the switch mechanism 19. Adjoining the
access chamber 81 is a grooved guide chamber 83 having a diameter
equal to that of the access chamber, but including grooved recesses
parallel to the axis of the cylinder which are formed in the
cylindrical wall of the chamber. Alternating recesses are deep
recesses 85, deep enough to receive and slideably retain both the
guides 75 of the button 21 and the ribs 65 of the plunger 45. In
between each deep recess 85 is a shallow recess 87, deep enough to
receive and slideably retain the guides 75 of the button 21, but
not the ribs 65 of the plunger 45. At the top of each shallow
recess 87 is a cam surface 89 which interacts with the cam surface
69 of the ribs 65 to turn the plunger 45 whenever a rib is forced
against it. The third chamber is a cylindrical rotational chamber
91 having a diameter such that the ribs of the plunger are freely
rotatable within it.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a rigid, flat, annular ring fits 45
tightly against the shoulder between the waterproof chamber 37 and
the button/plunger 41 chamber. The ring's inner diameter is such
that the actuating portion 67 of the plunger 45 is freely slideable
therethrough.
A circular diaphragm 51 having an axially raised, peripheral
annular lip 93 is sandwiched between the ring 49 and the contact
housing 53 so that the ring and the diaphragm's annular lip 93 form
a fluid tight seal. The diaphragm 51 is further provided with an
axially raised cylindrical projections 95 on either side of its
center point.
Referring still to FIGS. 2 and 3, the open end of a two-piece,
interlocking, nonconductive contact housing 53 is secured against
the diaphragm by means of external threads 97 located at the base
of the housing 57 which are interengageable with the mating set of
internal threads 99 of the end cap 17. The housing 53 is
cup-shaped, having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open
end of the housing defines a relatively large internal cylindrical
cavity 101. A cylindrical recess 103, having a depth slightly less
and the diameter slightly greater than the height and width,
respectively, of a positive terminal 29 of the dry-cell battery in
the retainer 13, is provided in the center of the closed end of the
housing 53 to receive the positive terminal 29 of the battery
25.
Thus received by the recess 103, the positive terminal 29 will be
protected from damage by the housing 53 in the event the flashlight
is struck either from the side or from behind. When the flashlight
is struck from the side, the force of the battery retainer 13
against the battery 25 will limit the movement of the battery. The
diameter of the cylindrical recess 103 is such that at the limit of
this sideways movement, the positive terminal 29 will not be in
contact the cylindrical wall of the recess 103. If the flashlight
is struck from behind, the movement of the battery 25 towards the
end cap 17 will be limited by the housing 53. Although the recess
103 is of necessity shallower than the height of the positive
terminal 29, the housing 53 will greatly limit the amount of
structural damage inflicted upon the positive terminal 29.
As best seen in FIG. 2, a battery-cavity contact 55 connects the
positive terminal 29 of a battery located within this recess 103
with the housing cavity 101. A cavity-end cap contact 57 connects
the opposite side of the housing cavity 103 to the inner wall 105
of the end cap 17.
A cylindrical, electrically-conductive shorting member 59 is
slideably mounted within the cylindrical cavity 101 of the contact
housing and is biased towards the diaphragm 51 by a helical
member-biasing spring 61. The member is provided with a raised
nipple 102 adapted to mate with a detent 109 provided in the
projection 95 extending from the member side of the diaphragm.
Referring to FIG. 4, a lamp holder 111 is secured within the
retainer 13 by means of an inwardly-directed overhanging lip 115.
As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the lamp holder 111 includes a two-piece,
nonconductive pin housing 117 which forms a pair of channels 120
for receiving and frictionally retaining the pins 119 of a bi-pin
flashlight lamp bulb 121. Referring now to FIG. 7, a bulb-spring
contact 123 is provided within one of the channels for connecting
the pin 119 in the channel to the conductive battery-biasing spring
28. The helical spring 125 electrically connects the negative
terminal 27 of the battery to the pin 119 and biases the
flashlight's batteries towards the end cap 17.
A bulb-retainer contact 127 is located within the other channel to
electrically connect the other pin 119 of the bi-pin bulb to the
interior wall 129 of the retainer 13.
The use of a two-piece, nonconductive pin housing 117 and a
two-piece, nonconductive contact housing 53 facilitates the process
of manufacturing, assembling and replacing the lamp holder and
switch mechanism. The two piece housing can be injection molded and
the contacts can be fabricated separately, thereby minimizing the
difficulty of manufacturing the parts. Assembly is facilitated in
that the contacts are easily snapped into their respective channels
and the two pieces of the housings are easily aligned due to their
mating posts and notches. Furthermore, replacement of the contacts
is facilitated in that it is relatively simple to pull the housings
apart and slip in new contacts. To facilitate the installation and
removal of the contact housing 53, two notches 130 are provided on
either side of the recess to permit a screw driver to be used to
screw the housing 53 in or out.
Referring still to FIGS. 4 and 5, the head assembly 15 is secured
to the retainer 13 by means of interengaging threads 131 located on
the exterior of the retainer and the interior of a head casing 133,
respectively. An O-ring 135 is provided within an annular groove
between the casing 133 and the retainer 13 below the base of the
interengaging threads 131 to form a water-tight seal between the
casing and the retainer.
The head assembly 15 further includes a substantially parabolic
reflector 137 having an opening 138 at its apex through which the
head of a bi-pin lamp 121 is loosely slideable. A radially outward
directed, annular lip 139 having a diameter slightly larger than
the internal diameter of the head casing 133, aligns the reflector
with the head casing. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 9, a series of
pins 141 spaced along the convex edge of the reflector 137 and
substantially parallel to the axis of the reflector receive and
retain bi-pin lamp bulbs 143 providing a means of carrying
replacement lamp bulbs in the head assembly 15.
The flashlight emits light through a generally circular,
transparent, planar lens 145, having a diameter essentially equal
to the outer diameter of the reflector's annular lip 139. A head
cap 147 holds the lens 145 in place against the lip 139 of the
reflector. The head cap 147 generally has the shape of an annular
ring, but is provided with a L-shaped inner, annular lip 149 at one
end. The cap 147 is further provided with internal threads 151
which are interengageable with external threads 153 on the casing.
An o-ring 155 is fitted within the annular groove 157 formed by the
lip and the cap, in order to form a fluid-tight seal with the lens
145 and to force the lens tightly against the reflector 137 and the
reflector tightly against the casing 133. Another o-ring 159 is
fitted between the head cap 147 and the casing 133 proximate the
base of the interengaging threads 151 to create a fluid-tight seal
between the cap and the casing.
The operation of the flashlight will now be briefly described. When
the flashlight is off, the switch mechanism 19 will be in the
position shown in FIG. 2. That is, the shorting member 59 will not
contact either the battery-cavity contact 55 or the cavity-end cap
contact 57 and the ribs 65 of the plunger 45 will be retained by
the deep recesses 85 of the cylinders.
If it is desired to use the flashlight as a flashing light, it is
necessary only that the button 21 be pressed lightly so that the
button drives the plunger 45 against the diaphragm 51 and the
diaphragm against the shorting member 59 so that the force of the
member-biasing spring 61 will be overcome and the member 59 will
touch both of the contacts, 55 and 57. So long as the button 21 is
not depressed so far that the cam surfaces 69 of the ribs 65 extend
above the deep recesses 85 of the cylinder 47, the ribs of the
plunger will be slideably retained by the recesses and the plunger
will be prevented from rotating. Thus, when the button is released,
the member-biasing spring 61 will force the member 59 against the
diaphragm 51 and the diaphragm against the plunger 45, causing the
member to slide away from the spring, out of contact with the
battery-cavity contact 55 and the cavity-end cap contact 57 to
break the flashlight's electrical circuit. The pressure on the
plunger will cause the plunger to return to its original position
within the deep recess 85. By alternatively pressing and releasing
the button in this manner, the desired flashing signal may be
obtained.
If it is desired to turn on the light for a more extended period of
time, it is merely necessary to press the button 21 so that it is
even with the base of the end cap 17. When the cam surfaces 69 of
the ribs 45 slide beyond the ends of the deep recesses 85, the
combination of the force applied on the button by the operator and
the force of the member-biasing spring 61 will cause the cam
surfaces of the button and the ribs to slide against one another
causing the plunger to rotate so that the cam surfaces of the ribs
rest the between the cam surfaces 77 of the button. When the button
is released, the member-biasing spring will push the member towards
the plunger, causing the diaphragm to push the plunger back within
the cylinder. Since the button's guides 75 are short enough to fit
in the shallow recesses 87, the button will again slide back within
the guide grooves, however, the taller cam surfaces 69 of the ribs
65 will be prevented from sliding into the shallow recesses 87 and
will be forced against the cam surfaces 89 of the cylinder 47 by
the spring 61. This will cause the cam surfaces of the cylinder and
the ribs to slide against one another, causing the plunger 45 to
rotate further and become lodged against the side of the cylinder.
In this position, the member 59 will remain in contact with the
battery-cavity contact 55 and the cavity-end cap contact 57 and the
flashlight's circuit will remain closed.
If the button is again fully depressed, the combination of the
force on the button 21 and the force of the member-biasing spring
on the cam surfaces of the plunger 45 will again cause the plunger
to rotate so that the cam surfaces of the ribs rest between the cam
surfaces 77 of the button 21. However, when the button is released,
the ribs will be able to slide freely within the deep recesses 85
of the cylinder, pushing the button outward and permitting the
shorting member 59 to break contact with the battery-cavity contact
55 and the cavityend cap contact 57, thereby opening the
flashlight's electrical circuit.
Referring to FIG. 4, the flashlight's beam may be adjusted by means
of rotating the head assembly 15 relative the battery retainer 13
clockwise or counterclockwise along the interengaging threads 131.
This rotation has the effect of changing the relative position of
the reflector 137 and the bi-pin lamp 121 held by the holder
111.
Thus, the present invention provides a waterproof miniature
flashlight having an adjustable beam which is readily operable with
one hand and as flashing light. Additionally, since the adjustment
of the flashlight's beam is independent of the switch mechanism,
there is no need to re-focus the flashlight beam after each time
the flashlight's electrical circuit is opened and closed.
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present
invention. The waterproof flashlight 161 incorporates a head
assembly 163, a flexible neck 165, a retainer cap 167, an elongated
battery retainer 169, an end cap 171 and a switch mechanism 173.
The switch mechanism is operated by means of pressing or releasing
a button 175 which projects from the end of the end cap 171.
In the preferred embodiment, the flexible neck flashlight 161
incorporates a generally cylindrical, elongated battery retainer
169 fabricated from anodized heat-treated aluminum which defines a
generally cylindrical chamber for holding two AA dry-cell batteries
in series. The batteries are preferably oriented so that their
negative terminals face the retainer cap and their positive
terminals face the end cap.
The flexible neck flashlight's end cap 171 and switch mechanism 173
are identical to the end cap 17 and switch mechanism 19 of the
standard miniature flashlight described above, and therefore the
details of their construction will not be repeated here.
Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, since the end of the battery retainer
169 opposite the end cap 171 is not designed to mate directly with
the head assembly 163, it is provided with internal threads 177
spaced slightly from the end of the battery retainer. These
internal threads 177 are interengageable with a set of external
threads 179 on the retainer cap 167. An o-ring 181 in a recessed
annular groove proximate the external threads 179 of the retainer
cap 169 forms a fluid-tight seal with the internal wall of the
battery retainer. Likewise, the cylindrical lip 182 of the retainer
cap is sealed to the exterior of the neck 165 with adhesive in
order to form a fluid-tight seal.
A helical spring (not shown) extends from the end of the retainer
cap 167 to electrically connect the negative terminal of a battery
within the battery retainer to a spring-bulb contact 183. The
spring-bulb contact extends through the neck 165 of the flashlight
and electrically connects the spring to a pin of a lamp bulb held
by a lamp holder 185. A retainer-bulb contact 187 extends through
the neck 165 and electrically connects the internal wall of the
battery retainer 169 to another pin of a bi-pin lamp held by lamp
holder.
The neck 165 is made of coaxial cable having a large center
conductor core to provide stiffness.
The head assembly 163 includes a generally parabolic head casing
189 which defines an internal chamber slightly larger in diameter
than the lamp holder. The head casing 189 is provided with internal
threads 191 which are interengageable with external threads 193
around the lamp holder which secures the casing in place. The lamp
holder's protruding cylindrical lip 194 is sealed to the exterior
of the neck 165 with adhesive in order to form a fluid-tight seal.
The lamp holder is further provided with an o-ring 195 in a
recessed annular groove which mates with the wall 197 of the
interior chamber of the head casing 189 to form a fluid-tight seal
between the head casing and the lamp holder.
In other respects, the head assembly 163 is identical to that of
the head assembly 15 of the embodiment standard miniature
flashlight described above and therefore, the details of its
construction will not be repeated here.
This alternative embodiment of the present invention provides a
high quality, flexible neck, waterproof flashlight having a beam
which is adjustable by means of rotating head assembly relative to
neck.
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