Flashlight

A squeeze-on flashlight in which a pair of batteries is provided in a plastic housing, one of the batteries having an outer metallic covering for selective electrical connection with a pair of elongated flexible finger elements positioned about the one battery. The finger elements extend from a spiral mount formed by a pair of loops which loops threadingly receive the threaded mounting cap of a light bulb mounted at the end of the housing remote from the end housing the one battery. By squeezing the outer plastic housing, the finger elements are urged into contact with the outer metallic cover of the one battery, to thereby close an electric circuit in series with the light bulb.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a flashlight of the type disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,495. The flashlight disclosed therein is a hand-held 
flashlight having an outer casing made of flexible plastic which allows 
for the squeezing thereof by a hand, in order to establish a closed 
electric circuit between a battery mounted within the plastic casing and a 
miniature light bulb, to thereby actuate the miniature light bulb simply 
by squeezing the outer plastic casing thereof. The closed circuit is 
achieved by a plurality of flexible metallic fingers formed by an inner 
metal casing surrounding a battery, which battery has its outer, 
insulating cover absent, to thereby expose its metallic core about which 
metallic core are circumscribed the metallic fingers of the inner metal 
casing. At the end of the inner metal casing, remote from the flexible 
metallic fingers, the inner metal casing threadingly and removably mounts 
the threaded metallic cap or contact of the miniature light bulb, such 
that the anode of the battery housed in the inner metal casing abuts up 
against the metallic cap of the bulb, so that when the outer plastic 
casing is squeezed, a return path is provided to complete the electrical 
circuit and, thus, illuminate the bulb. However, since the inner metal 
casing housing the battery is of relatively unusual configuration, it has 
proven relatively difficult and costly to manufacture. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, the primary objective of the present invention to provide 
an improved squeeze-on flashlight in which the inner metal casing is 
obviated and replaced by a plurality of metallic fingers extending the 
entire length of the batteries housed within the outer plastic casing, 
which plurality of fingers are connected at one end to a spiral metal 
connection in which is removably threaded the threaded cap of a light 
bulb, in order to provide a structure that is relatively easy and 
inexpensive to manufacture. One of the two batteries in the casing has its 
outer insulating cover removed, with the flexible metallic fingers being 
spaced therefrom by a spacer disc. The other battery is provided with its 
insulating cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the hand-held flashlight of 
the invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The 
flashlight 10 includes an outer hollow casing or housing 12 made of 
flexible plastic so that upon the squeezing of it, it may be bent or 
flexed inwardly, as shown in FIG. 4. The housing 12 has at one end an 
opening through projects a light bulb 14 which has a threaded mounting cap 
or sleeve 14' projecting therefrom in the conventional manner. Housed 
within the casing or housing 12 are a pair of batteries 16, 18, with the 
battery 16 having its outer insulating cover or jacket removed, in the 
manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,495. The other battery 18 is a 
standard battery with its outer insulating cover or jacket present. Thus, 
the diametric extension of the battery 18 may be somewhat greater than 
that of the battery 16. The other end of casing is provided with an 
interior well or recess 20 formed by the hollow annular piece 22 in which 
is received resilient pressure pad 24 for biassing the series-connected 
batteries 16, 18 forwardly into electrical connection with the terminal 15 
of the light bulb. Surrounding the forward end portion of the battery 16 
is an annular spacing ring 30 preferably made of flexible plastic or other 
electrically-insulating material. 
Provided in the housing 12 is a spiral metal coil 40 defining a pair of 
spiral loops, as best seen in FIG. 2. The diametric extension of these two 
loops are such as to threadingly receive the outer threads of the mounting 
cap 14' of the light bulb, as shown in FIG. 3, to thereby provide an 
electrical connection therewith. Projecting from each loop is an elongated 
flexible metallic finger or clip 44, 46, extending from the respective 
loops such that they are spaced an arcuate distance apart of approximately 
135 degrees. Each elongated flexible finger or clip 44, 46 extends 
substantially along most of the length of the casing 12, and has a free 
end portion thereof juxtapositioned adjacent the rear end portion of the 
battery 16. Thus, when the outer casing 12 is gripped by a pair of fingers 
of a hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the squeezing thereof will cause the end 
portions of the clips 44, 46 to abut up against and contact the exposed 
metallic casing of the battery 16, to thus close a circuit, to thereby 
light the bulb 14. The substantially 135 degree spacing of the two clips 
or fingers 44, 46 will ensure that for all hand-gripping orientations 
about the casing 12, at least one of the clips 44, 46 will contact the 
bared battery 16. Of course, more than two clips 44, 46 may be provided, 
and the angular spacing therebetween may be varied. 
If the diametric extension of the battery 18 is made larger than that of 
the battery 16, the battery 18 also serves to prevent contact of the clips 
of fingers 44, 46 with the outer metallic cover of the battery 16, in 
addition to such result effected by the annular ring 30. 
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, 
it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof as set forth 
in the appended claims.