Abstract:
A miniature flashlight device includes a housing having a cavity, a pair of magnets mounted to the housing, and a light generating assembly disposed in the cavity of the housing. The light generating assembly includes a lamp, at least one battery and a spring-loaded switch connected in an electrical circuit with the lamp and battery and activatable to electrically connect and disconnect the battery with the lamp. The magnets are arranged such that when the housing is placed on a ferromagnetic surface the magnets attract the surface with sufficient force to activate the spring-loaded switch and open the circuit, turning the device off. When the magnets are disengaged from the surface, the spring brings the switch into the closed circuit position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to portable lighting devices and, more particularly, is concerned with a miniature flashlight device. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Miniature flashlight devices which can be stored in a pocket or attached to a key chain are known in the prior art. Examples of such miniature flashlight devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,411 to Schwartz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,315 to Wolter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,833 to Wolter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,451 to Chabria, U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,356 to Guthrie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,631 to Padden and French Pat. No. 1,443,787 to Teisseire. 
     Some common components of miniature flashlight devices include a housing, a battery disposed in the housing, an electric lamp supported in the housing, electrically conductive contact members positioned in the housing and electrically interconnecting spaced contact portions of the lamp with spaced contact portions of the battery of respective positive and negative polarities, and an actuating element mounted on the housing and being movable for closing and opening an electrical circuit between the electrically conductive contact members, the battery and the lamp. 
     The housings of these devices have various configurations and constructions. However, a common theme of the housings as well as other components is that they are mostly utilitarian in character. Miniature flashlight devices are increasingly popular with consumers because of their utilitarian character. The inventor herein has perceived an innovative way to expand the attractiveness of miniature flashlight devices to consumers without sacrificing their utilitarian character. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a miniature flashlight device which combines the utilitarian features of a flashlight with the ornamental appearance of a common item of apparel, such being a hat. The specific embodiment of a hat whose ornamental appearance is incorporated in the device of the present invention is a helmet or hardhat such as worn commonly by construction and other workers. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a miniature flashlight device which comprises: (a) a housing shaped to simulate a hat, the housing including (i) a main portion simulating a crown of the hat having a bottom opening and a side with a hole defined therethrough, the main portion defining an interior cavity in communication with the bottom opening of the main portion and the hole in the side of the main portion, and (ii) an extension portion simulating a bill of the hat disposed exteriorly of and attached to the main portion such that the bill extends at least partially about the main portion adjacent to the bottom opening thereof and outwardly from the main portion; (b) a cover adapted to interfit with the housing so as to close the bottom opening of the main portion thereof; (c) means for detachably attaching the cover to the housing; and (d) a light generating assembly disposed in the cavity of the housing when the cover is attached to the housing, the light generating assembly including an electric lamp module supported on the housing through the hole in the side of the main portion of the housing such that the lamp module extends both exteriorly from the main portion of the housing and interiorly into the cavity of the main portion of the housing. The main and extension portions of the housing together define a continuous bottom rim on the housing encompassing the extension portion and the bottom opening of the main portion. The cover is adapted to interfit with the continuous bottom rim on the housing so as to underlie the main and extension portions and close the bottom opening of the main portion of the housing. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a miniature flashlight device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the flashlight device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the flashlight device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the flashlight device as seen along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the flashlight device taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flashlight device taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the flashlight device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a miniature flashlight device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the flashlight device of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the flashlight device of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the flashlight device as seen along line  11 — 11  of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view of the flashlight device taken along line  12 — 12  of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flashlight device taken along line  13 — 13  of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 14 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the flashlight device of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a miniature flashlight device, generally designated  10 , of the present invention incorporating a hat-shaped configuration. A first embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10  is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to  7  and a second embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10  is illustrated in FIGS. 8 to  14 . Basically, each of the embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10  includes a housing  12  shaped to simulate a hat (or a cap and the like), a cover  14 , fastening means  16  for detachably attaching the cover  14  to the housing  12 , and a light generating assembly  18  disposed in the housing  12  when the cover  14  is attached thereto. 
     The housing  12  of the device  10  includes a main portion  20  simulating a crown of the hat and an extension portion  22  simulating a bill of the hat. The main portion  20  defines an interior cavity  24  and has a bottom opening  26  and a hole  28  which communicates with the cavity  24 . The hole  28  is defined through a side  20 A of the main portion  20 . The side  20 A of the main portion  20  containing the hole  28  preferably, but not necessarily, is a front side of the main portion  20 . The extension portion  22  is disposed exteriorly of the main portion  20  and is rigidly attached to the main portion  20 , preferably but not necessarily at the front side  20 A of the main portion  20 . The extension portion  22  is disposed adjacent to the bottom opening  26  such that the extension portion  22  extends outwardly from the main portion  20  below the hole  28  therein. The main and extension portions  20 ,  22  together have a continuous bottom rim  30  of generally oval configuration formed on and protruding from the housing  12  so as to encompass the extension portion  22  and the bottom opening  26  of the main portion  20 . The cover  14  of the device  10  is in the form of a flat panel  32  of substantially oval configuration which interfits with the bottom rim  30  so as to underlie the main and extension portions  20 ,  22  and close the bottom opening  26  of the main portion  20 . The flat panel  32  has a compartment  34  fixed on the inside surface  32 A thereof for containing batteries. The fastening means  16  for detachably attaching the cover  14  to the housing  12  includes a plurality of apertures  36  defined in the flat panel  32  of the cover  14 , a plurality of pedestals  38  rigidly fixed on and extending from the interior of the main portion  20  of the housing  12  through the cavity  24  to outer ends  38 A having threaded holes  40  tapped therein, and a plurality of screws  42  insertable through the apertures  36  in the cover  14  and threadable into the threaded holes  40  of the pedestals  38 . 
     The light generating assembly  18  of the device  10  is disposed in the cavity  24  of the housing  12  when the cover  20  is attached to the housing  12 . The light generating assembly  18  includes an electric lamp module  44 , one or more batteries  46 , electrically conductive contact members  48 , and a primary switch or actuating member  50 . The electric lamp module  44  of the assembly  18  is supported on the housing  12  through the hole  28  in the front side  20 A of the main portion  20  of the housing  12  such that the lamp module  44  extends both exteriorly from the main portion  20  of the housing  12  and interiorly into the cavity  24  of the main portion  20  of the housing  12 . The lamp module  44  has spaced contact portions  44 A,  44 B disposed in the cavity  24  of the main portion  20  of the housing  12 . The batteries  46  are received and contained in the compartment  34  on the cover  14  and thus are disposed in the cavity  24  of the housing  12  when the cover  14  is attached to the housing  12 . The batteries  46  has electrical contact portions  46 A,  46 B of opposite polarity. The electrically conductive contact members  48  are attached and positioned on one or both of the compartment  34  on the cover  14  and on the main portion  20  of the housing  12 . The contact members  48  electrically interconnect the spaced contact portions  44 A,  44 B of the lamp module  44  with the spaced contact portions  46 A,  46 B of the batteries  46 . The actuating member  50  is mounted on the cover  14  and movable relative to the cover  14  between displaced positions to close and open an electrical circuit that is provided between the electrically conductive contact members  48  and the respective spaced contact portions  44 A,  44 B and  46 A,  46 B of the lamp module  44  and the batteries  46  engaged by the contact members  48 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  7 , in the first embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10 , the batteries  46  disposed in the battery compartment  34  and retained therein by a removable door  52  are of the elongated cylindrical types. The battery compartment  34  is of rectangular configuration. The actuating member  50  is disposed on the cover  14  and has a pad portion  50 A extending through a slot  54  in the cover  14  for engagement by a finger of the user to slidably move the actuating member  50  back and forth along the slot  54  toward and away from spaced apart portions  48 A of the contact members  48 . A guide tab  56  is rigidly attached to the interior side of the main portion  20  of the housing  12  and extends downward to a lower edge  56 A which restrains the actuating member  50  to only undergo the back and forth movement along the slot  54 . With movement of the actuating member  50  toward the contact members  48 , a leading end  50 B of the actuating member  50  engages one of the portions  48 A and forces into contact with the other of the portions  48 A so as to complete the electrical circuit. 
     The first embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10  also includes a pair of magnet assemblies  58  disposed along opposite longitudinal sides of the battery compartment  34 . Each magnet assembly  58  includes a permanent magnet  60  and a pair of ferromagnetic plates  62  disposed along opposite sides of the permanent magnet  60  and aligned with narrow slits  64  in the cover  14  such that lower edges  62 A of the plates  62  extend through the slits  64  and are exposed on the exterior side of the cover  14 . The housing  12  has a pair of transverse strips  66  disposed within the cavity  24  and extending between and fixed to opposite lateral sides of the main portion  20  of the housing  12  so as to provide a pair of stops for holding the magnet assemblies  58  in their positions along the opposite longitudinal sides of the battery compartment  34 . 
     The first embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10  further includes telescoping guide elements  70  in the form of a plurality of spaced apart guide tubes  72  rigidly fixed on the interior side of the main portion  20  of the housing  12  and extending downward toward the cover  14 , a plurality of posts  74  each slidably received in one of the guide tubes  72  and having collars  76  fixed thereabout near lower ends  74 A of the posts  74 , and a plurality of coil springs  78  each disposed over and about one of the posts  74  and extending between the collar  76  and an end  72 A of the tube  72  so as to bias the posts  74  away from the tubes  72  and toward the cover  14 . The cover  14  has openings  80  defined therethrough for receiving the ends  74 A of the guide posts  74  extending outwardly from and below the collars  76 . When the device  10  is placed on a surface of a structure made of ferromagnetic material, the magnet assemblies  58  function to attract and attach the device  10  at its cover  14  to and on the surface with sufficient force to overcome the biasing force of the coil springs  78  and cause retraction of the posts  74  into the tubes  72  and retraction the lower ends  74 A of the posts  74  into the openings  80  of the cover  14 . 
     One of the post  74  constitutes an auxiliary switch or actuating member  82 . A contact segment  84  is disposed over and attached to the lower end  74 A of the one post  74  and is movable from an engaged position to a disengaged position relative to auxiliary spaced portions  48 B of the contact members  48  upon retraction of the lower end  74 A of the one post  74  into one of the openings  80  in the cover  14  as caused by the magnetic attraction of the magnet assemblies  58  with the ferromagnetic structure. In the engaged position, the contact segment  84  overlaps and electrically interconnects the spaced portions  48 E of the contact members  48  so as to complete the electrical circuit when the actuating member  50  is in the “on” position. In the disengaged position, the contact segment  84  is lifted off and disconnected from the spaced portions  48 E of the contact members  48  so as to break the electrical circuit irrespective of whether the actuating member  50  is in the “on” or “off” position. Thus, with the actuating member  50  left in the “on” position, the lamp module  44  of the device  10  will remain turned off as long as the magnet assemblies  58  hold the device upon a ferromagnetic surface. Upon the device  10  being lifted from that surface, the lamp module  44  of the device  10  will be automatically turned on by the action of the auxiliary actuating member  82 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 8 to  14 , in the second embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10 , the actuating member  50  is disposed on the cover  14  and has a tip end  50 C extending through a hole  84  in the cover  14  for engagement by a finger of the user to depress the actuating member  50  into the hole  84  to cause engagement of a spring contact portion  48 C of one contact member  48  with a stationary contact portion  48 D of the other contact member  48 . The actuating member  50  has an inner head  50 D on its opposite end which is larger in diameter than the hole  84 . When the actuating member  48  is released, the spring contact portion  48 C of the one contact member  48  forces the inner head  50 D of the actuating member  50  into contact with the interior side of the cover  14  and the spring and stationary contact portions  48 C,  48 D away from one another The batteries  46  disposed in the compartment  34  on the inside of the cover  14  are of the disk-shaped types, also known as a button-cell battery. The battery compartment  34  is of cylindrical shape and has a button-shaped exterior door  86  which is removably insertable into an opening  88  to the compartment  34  to close off access thereto and retain the batteries  46  in the compartment. The second embodiment of the miniature flashlight device  10  also includes a loop  90  attached on a rear side of the housing  12  which receives a keychain  92 . 
     It is thought that the present invention and many of its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely preferred or exemplary embodiment thereof.