Abstract:
A flashlight is provided that includes a housing and a light assembly including a light source and a battery. A light activation switch is provided for selectively forming an electric circuit between the light source and the battery to induce light emission from the light source. A pivot engages both the housing and the light assembly to rotate the light assembly between a closed position and an open position relative to the housing. The housing provides a measure of protection to the light activation switch. A spring is provided to bias the light assembly towards either of the closed position or the extended position. In combination with the spring, a flip switch is added so that upon activation of the flip switch the spring moves the light assembly to an extended position. The rotation between extended and closed positions for the light assembly typically ranges between 80 and 200 degrees, and ideally greater than 140 degrees. With the addition of a set screw, an intermediate position between closed and open positions is also maintained.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention in general relates to a miniature flashlight and in particular to a miniature flashlight having a spring switch that moves the light between a closed-inactive position and an extended-illuminated position.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Miniature flashlights in recent years have shifted towards the use of a light emitting diode (LED) as the light source over incandescent bulbs. The net result is that power usage is more efficient and flashlights have become smaller and lighter even while the function remains the same. Miniature flashlights remain well suited for providing proximity lighting to perform tasks such as mating a key with a lock under poor ambient light conditions. Based on typical uses and the desire to remember to carry such a light, miniature lights have typically incorporated a key ring or spring clip. Unfortunately, because of the inadvertent pressure applied to a miniature flashlight within the confines of a pocket, or carrying article such as a purse, the switch for energizing the light is prone to inadvertent depression and concussion damage, with both phenomena limiting the useful lifetime of the flashlight.  
         [0003]     Thus, there exists a need for a miniature flashlight having a protective housing overlying the light activation switch and a pivot about which to rotate the light relative to the housing to bring the light into an open position quickly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     A flashlight is provided that includes a housing and a light assembly slidable within the housing. The light assembly includes a light source and a battery. A light activation switch is provided for selectively forming an electric circuit between the light source and the battery to induce light emission from the light source. A pivot engages both the housing and the light assembly to rotate the light assembly between a closed position and an extended position relative to the housing. The housing provides a measure of protection to the light activation switch. Optionally, the spring is provided to bias the light assembly towards either of the closed position or the extended position. In combination with an optional spring, a flip switch is optionally added so that upon activation of the flip switch the spring moves the light assembly to an extreme position of open or closed. A keychain ring or other securement is optionally provided to afford ancillary uses for the light. The rotation between extended and closed positions for the light assembly typically ranges between 80 and 200 degrees, and preferably greater than 140 degrees. With the optional addition of a set screw, an intermediate position between closed and open positions is also maintained.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an inventive light in a closed position;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the inventive light depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the light depicted in  FIG. 1  in an open position;  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the inventive light depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the light depicted in  FIG. 3  along line D-D;  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the light depicted in  FIG. 3  along line B-B;  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the light depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is a transverse cross-sectional view of the light depicted in  FIG. 6  along the line C-C;  
         [0013]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the light depicted in  FIG. 6  in the open position; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the light depicted in  FIG. 1  in an open position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     The present invention has utility as a miniature flashlight. Through the mounting of a light assembly on a pivot relative to a protective housing, greater longevity is achieved, as compared to a conventional miniature flashlight. It is appreciated that operation of an inventive flashlight is facilitated through the inclusion of a spring to bias the light assembly towards either a fully extended or fully closed position relative to the housing. A flip switch is further optionally provided to release the spring and thereby move the light assembly between closed and extended positions, or vice versa. A light activation switch is readily triggered by the flip switch moving the light assembly into an open position such that upon flip switch activation the light assembly swings into an open position and automatically has a light emission from a light assembly light source.  
         [0016]     Referring now to the figures, an inventive flashlight is depicted generally at  10  where like numerals are used between various figures to describe a given aspect or component. The flashlight  10  has a housing  12  defining a volume  14 . The housing  12  has two opposing walls  16  and  18  bounding the volume  14 . A side  20  retains the opposing surfaces  16  and  18  in a fixed relationship, the volume  14  being dimensioned to receive a light assembly shown generally at  22  within the volume  14 . The light assembly  22  is secured to the housing  12  by way of a pivot pin  24 . The pivot pin  24  has a diameter able to insert within co-aligned apertures  26  and  28  formed within surfaces  16  and  18 , respectively. A pivot pin cap head  30  retains the pin  24  in contact with aperture  26 . A second pivot pin cap head  32  is secured to the pivot pin  24  in opposition to cap head  30  so as to secure the pivot pin  24  to surface  18  of the housing  12  and retain the pin  24  in secure contact with aperture  28 . While cap head  32  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as a threaded fastener engaging complementary threads within pivot pin  24 , it is appreciated that a cap head is readily formed by flaring the pivot pin end in opposition to cap head end  30  such that pivot pin  24  is acting as a rivet.  
         [0017]     The light assembly  22  is bounded by a shell made up of a first shell portion  36  and a complementary second shell portion  38 , the shell portions  36  and  38  defining a volume. The first and second shell portions  36  and  38  are held together with adhesives or mechanical fasteners  39  such as screws or rivets. The shell portions  36  and  38 , like the housing  12 , are readily formed from a variety of materials, each illustratively formed from a material such as metals including steel, aluminum, brass, and pot metal; and plastics such as polycarbonate, polyacrylates, polystyrene, polyalkylenes, and block copolymers thereof. The first and second shell portions each has an aperture therein as shown at  40  and  42 , respectively. Upon the first and second shell portions  36  and  38  being joined, the apertures  40  and  42  define a passage about which the light assembly  22  rotates on the axis of pivot pin  24 . The second shell portion  38  has a recess  43  adapted to receive a battery  44  therein. A frame  46  simultaneously engages the first and second shell portions  36  and  38 , the frame  46  securing a light source  48 . Optionally, a reflector  50  is also secured to the frame  46  so as to encompass the light source  48 . The light source  48  as depicted preferably includes multiple lighting elements. Lighting elements operative herein illustratively include light emitting diodes, incandescent bulbs, cold cathode ray tubes, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the lighting element is a light emitting diode. Still more preferably, two or more light emitting diodes are aimed to emit light emissions therefrom in a generally unidirectional fashion. The light source  48  is electrically connected to contact  54  that simultaneously forms an electrical contact underlying the battery  44 . It is appreciated that the voltage required to power a light source  48  is dependent not only upon the nature of the light element but also in the case of light emitting diodes, the emission color. To accommodate variations in light source voltage requirements, it is appreciated that a battery  44 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 , optionally includes multiple batteries operating in series. While the battery  44  is depicted as a button-type battery, as a preferred, compact embodiment, it is appreciated that other types of batteries are operative in an inventive flashlight with the understanding that the shape of the light assembly is necessarily modified to accommodate a battery of different dimensions. Other battery formats operative herein illustratively include AAA, AA, 9 volt, and the like.  
         [0018]     Overlying the battery  44  is a switch plate  56  having a depression switch  58  thereon. The switch plate  56  is formed of an electrically insulative material. An electrical circuit is formed between the light source  48  and the battery  44  upon depression of the light activation switch  60  so as to induce light emission from the light source. Preferably, the second contact between the battery  44  and the light source  48  is not directly via switch  60  but rather through an intermediate contact  62 . While the light activation switch  60  is depicted as a depression switch, it is appreciated that alternate switch types conventional to the art such as a slide switch are operative herein. An exemplary slide switch is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,323. Preferably, an elastomeric switch cover  64  overlies the light activation switch  60 . Switch cover  64  extends through a complementary aperture  66  formed in the first shell portion  36 . Optionally, a bumper  68  formed of a semi-rigid elastomeric material simultaneously interlocks the first and second shell portions  36  and  38 . The bumper  68 , in addition to forming a convenient gripping surface, serves to dampen vibration associated with rotating the light assembly  22  into an open position as depicted in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0019]     A common problem associated with flashlights is the inadvertent retention of the flashlight in an energized mode after storage thereby depleting the battery power supply. This problem is compounded with miniature flashlights where the light emission is difficult to detect under daylight lighting conditions. As an inventive flashlight  10  in a closed position has limited light emission escaping the housing  12 , detecting the inadvertent light emission during storage is further complicated. In order to overcome this problem, inventive flashlight  10  in a preferred embodiment includes an automatic light source activation/deactivation feature. A switch depression contact  65  extends from the wall  16  into volume  14  at a position that intersects the switch cap  64  as the light assembly  22  is rotated from a closed position. While a contact  65  is as simple as a protruding portion on wall  16 , a roller bearing is also optionally deployed as a contact  65 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 . While the roller bearing as contact  65  is depicted in  FIG. 1  on the edge of wall  16  for visual clarity, preferably the contact is located at a more internal position on wall  16  and extending into the volume  14 . The contact  65  depresses the switch cover  64  and the underlying light activation switch  60  upon contact as the light assembly  22  is rotated into an open or intermediate position and thereby induces light emission. Upon rotating the light assembly into the closed position, contact  65  again contacts the switch cover  64  and deactivates the light activation switch  60  so as to deactivate the light source  48  prior to reaching a closed position. It is appreciated that upon extending the light assembly  22  into an extended or intermediate position that is activated by the contact  65 , a user by depressing the switch cover  64  can deactivate the light source  48 . Reactivating the light source prior to closure allows the contact  65  to automatically deactivate light source  48  upon closure.  
         [0020]     In a preferred embodiment, the light assembly  22  is spring biased relative to the housing  12 . A spring  70  located within a spring compartment  72  proximal to second shell portion  38  aperture  42  urges the light assembly  22  into either an extreme open or closed position depending on the orientation of the spring  70 . More preferably, the spring  70  is oriented to urge the light assembly  22  into an open position. In embodiments of the inventive flashlight  10  having a spring-biased light assembly  22 , a flip switch shown generally at  74  is provided to selectively retain the light assembly  22  in a tensioned position. As depicted herein, tension position is the closed position. The flip switch  74  includes a catch  76  adapted to engage a complementary recess  78  in shell portion  38 . The catch  76  is rotatably secured to housing surface  18 . Overlying the catch  76  and seating therein is spring seat  80  having a spring  82  mounted thereover. A flip switch pin  84  engages the spring  82  and extends through a complementary aperture  86  in the housing  12  to provide a depression button  88  for activating the flip switch  74 . By depressing the button  88 , the pin  84  transmits a downward force through intermediate components  82  and  80  to release the catch  76  from the recess  78  allowing the light assembly  22  to automatically flip into an open position.  
         [0021]     Regardless of whether the inventive embodiment includes a spring-biased pivot pin and the accompanying flip switch mechanism  74 , an inventive flashlight  10  optionally includes a set screw  90  extending through one of the surfaces  16  or  18  so as to retain a light assembly  22  in an angular position intermediate between a fully closed and fully open position as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively. According to the present invention, the angle α defined by the line extending through pivot pin  24  to the center of the light assembly in the closed position, as depicted by line D-D in the center of the light assembly  22  in the open position defines a flip angle α. Typically, the flip angle α is between 80 and 200 degrees. Preferably, the flip angle α is greater than 140 degrees. Still more preferably, the flip angle α is between 160 and 190 degrees. Through the deployment of the set screw  90 , an angle intermediate between 0 degrees and the flip angle α can be retained. Setting an angle intermediate between 0 degrees and the flip angle α is particularly well suited for retaining an inventive flashlight  10  in a user palm and directing a light beam in a particular direction while the user thumb and forefinger are deposed to retain a tool or key operative within the cone of light provided by the inventive flashlight  10 .  
         [0022]     To facilitate the use of an inventive flashlight  10  with a key or other small implement, the housing  12  optionally includes an aperture  92  adapted to receive a securement  20  therethrough. The securement  93  is in turn optionally coupled to a key ring  94 . Preferably, an intermediate swivel  96  and link  95  mechanically connects the securement  93  with a key ring  94 .  
         [0023]     Patent documents and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. These documents and publications are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document or publication was specifically and individually incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0024]     The foregoing description is illustrative of particular embodiments of the invention, but is not meant to be a limitation upon the practice thereof. The following claims, including all equivalents thereof, are intended to define the scope of the invention.