Multipurpose hand lamp and electric cigar lighter assembly

A multipurpose hand lamp comprises a housing accommodating a motherboard assembly carrying a contact switch, a lamp switch and a power socket, a power supply unit electrically connected with the power switch and carrying at least one replaceable rechargeable battery for power input and power output, a light source unit having a lamp cover hinged to the housing and at least LED lamp carried in the lamp cover and electrically connected with the lamp switch for giving off light, and an electric heater having an electric heating wire electrically connected with the contact switch and disposed below a cigarette lighter port of the housing, and a spring-loaded holding-down member for switching on the contact switch to turn on the electric heater when the lamp cover is opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hand lamps and more particularly, to a multipurpose hand lamp, which provides illumination, cigarette lighting, battery charging and electric power supplying functions.

2. Description of the Related Art

When the light in a car is insufficient, for example, when at night, a supplementary light source may be necessary as a person inside the car is going to control the air-conditioner or car stereo system or to pick up food or beverage. The supplementary light source in a car is a night lamp mounted on the bottom side of the roof that is not freely angularly adjustable to any desired direction.

Therefore, people may prepare a hand lamp in a car for use when desired. A hand lamp uses a dry battery to provide the necessary working voltage. However, when the power of the dry battery is used up, a new supply of dry battery is necessary. Further, in order to keep the air inside a car fresh, a car may be provided with a power socket for power output instead of a cigarette lighter. It may be inconvenient to a cigarette smoker to drive a car that is not equipped with a cigarette lighter.

Taiwan Utility Model Publication Number M363408 discloses a vehicle cigarette lighter entitled “Mobile battery charger and cigarette lighter for car”, which comprises a housing, a starter located on the surface of the housing, a circuit board mounted in an accommodation camber inside the housing and electrically connected with the starter, a charging/discharging device, for example, a rechargeable battery set between a positive terminal and a negative terminal at one side of the housing and electrically connected with the circuit board, an electric heater arranged on the housing at a predetermined location and electrically connected with the charging/discharging device, and a DC connector arranged on the circuit board and electrically connected with the charging/discharging device for charging the charging/discharging device.

The positive terminal and the negative terminal of the aforesaid prior art design are arranged to provide a configuration shaped like a cigar head for insertion into a power socket in a car so that the battery power of the car can be transmitted into the circuit board to charge the charging/discharging device subject to the operation of a charging circuit of the circuit board. Further, when switched on the starter, the electric heater (or light source) is turned on. Further, the DC connector is electrically connectable to an external mobile electronic device, for example, cell phone to charge its battery.

According to the aforesaid prior art design, the starter is switchable to move a spring plate among an electric heater conduction zone, a battery conducting zone and a light source conducting zone for connection, thereby providing electric energy to the electric heater or the light source. The operation of this sliding starter design is complicated. Further, the light source simply uses a LED lamp for illumination. This design does not provide any light reflecting or condensing means around the LED lamp to enhance the illumination. Further, when wishing to light a cigarette, the user must open the protective cover and then move the control lever of the starter to shift the spring plate into contact with the electric heater conduction zone and battery conducting zone to form an electric loop. This operation procedure is complicated, and an improvement to simplify the operation is necessary. Further, the charging/discharging device is fixedly set between the positive terminal and the negative terminal, not replaceable. When the charging/discharging device is damaged, the user cannot replace the charging/discharging device and shall have to send the whole assembly to the supplier or distributor for repair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a multipurpose hand lamp, which provides multiple functions for illumination, charging the battery of an external mobile electronic device and lighting a cigarette, and is easy to operate.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a multipurpose hand lamp comprises a housing, a power supply unit, a light source unit and an electric heater. The housing defines herein an accommodation chamber, having a cigarette lighter port and at least two lugs located on the top side thereof The power supply unit comprises a motherboard assembly, which is mounted in the accommodation chamber and comprises a contact switch, a lamp switch and a power socket, an electronic control unit built in the motherboard assembly and electrically coupled to the power socket and the contact switch, a positive contact terminal and a negative contact terminal suspending in the accommodation chamber and respectively electrically connected to the motherboard assembly, and at least one rechargeable battery electrically connected between the positive contact terminal and the negative contact terminal to form with the positive contact terminal, the negative contact terminal and the power socket an electric loop. The light source unit comprises a lamp cover, which has at least two mounting blocks pivotally connected to the at least two lugs of the housing by a pivot pin and a through hole on the top side thereof, a circuit board mounted inside the lamp cover and electrically connected with the lamp switch of the motherboard assembly to form an electric loop and at least one LED lamp installed in the circuit board of the light source unit corresponding to the through hole of the lamp cover. The electric heater comprises an electric heating wire disposed inside the housing at a bottom side relative to the cigarette lighter port and electrically connected with the contact switch of the motherboard assembly to form an electric loop, a holding-down member, which has a top contact end extending out of the housing through a gap between the two lugs and stopped against the mounting blocks, a bottom rod stopped against a part inside the housing and a first press rod adapted for pressing the contact switch, and a spring member sleeved onto the bottom rod of the holding-down member and stopped between the holding-down member and the housing. Opening the lamp cover causes the lamp cover to squeeze the contact end of the holding-down member downward in forcing the bottom rod to compress the spring member and the first press rod to switch on the contact switch, enabling the at least one rechargeable battery to provide a battery power supply to the motherboard assembly and the electric heating wire for lighting a cigarette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown inFIGS. 1-4, basically, a multipurpose hand lamp in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a housing1, a power supply unit2, a light source unit3and an electric heater4.

The housing1includes an elongated body shell11having an elongated view hole111and a round hole112, a cover shell12fixedly covered on the upper part of the elongated body shell11, a battery lid14movably, for example, slidably covered on the lower part of the elongated body shell11so that at least one accommodation chamber inside the housing is formed. The inside space of the housing1is divided by a partition wall into a first accommodation chamber13at the top side and a second accommodation chamber15at the bottom side. The first accommodation chamber13is adapted for accommodating a motherboard assembly21that can be, for example, a double-sided circuit board. The second accommodation chamber15is adapted for accommodating a rechargeable battery24. Further, a transparent lampshade16is mounted inside the elongated body shell11, having a protruding portion161fitted into the view hole111.

The power supply unit2comprises the aforesaid motherboard assembly21that is accommodated in the first accommodation chamber13. The motherboard assembly21comprises two first circuit boards211, two spacer blocks212bilaterally set between the two first circuit boards211, a contact switch213that has two contact terminals213aand213barranged one above the other at a top side relative to the two first circuit boards211, a lamp switch22electrically coupled to one first circuit board211and extending out of the elongated body shell11through the round hole112for operation, indicator means, for example, a charge indicator lamp214and a plurality of power volume indicator lamps215electrically connected to the same first circuit board211and covered by the transparent lampshade16.

The power supply unit2further comprises a power socket23that can be, for example, a USB connector electrically coupled to the other first circuit board211. The cover shell12has an insertion slot121corresponding to the power socket23. An elastic cap122is adapted for closing the insertion slot121to seal the insertion slot121against fluid, dust or any of a variety of other external objects. The aforesaid motherboard assembly21further comprises a positive electrode216and a negative electrode217respectively set in the second accommodation chamber15. Further, at least one rechargeable battery24is electrically connected between the positive electrode216and the negative electrode217.

Thus, power cable having a USB type power plug at its one end and an electric connector at its other end can be used and electrically connected between the power socket23and a port of a computer or the cigarette lighter socket of a motor vehicle for enabling transmission of DC power supply from the computer or motor vehicle to the power socket23to charge the rechargeable battery24subject to the control of an ECU (electronic control unit) that is built in the motherboard assembly21. At this time, the charge indicator lamp214is turned on to indicate the charging status, and the power level indicator lamps215are selectively turned on to indicate the volume of electric power of the rechargeable battery24.

The light source unit3comprises a lamp cover31, which has at least two mounting blocks311pivotally connected to, for example, two lugs123at the cover shell12of the housing1by a pivot pin314, a lens, for example, convex lens32mounted in a through hole312on the lamp cover31, a second circuit board33mounted in the lamp cover31and electrically connected to the motherboard assembly21to form with the lamp switch22an electric loop, at least one LED lamp331electrically coupled to the second circuit board33, a cover plate34covering the bottom open side of the lamp cover31. Further, the cover plate34can be made of aluminum. In this case, an insulative pad35must be set in between the second circuit board33and the cover plate34.

Thus, when clicked the lamp switch22once, the LED lamp331is turned on to give off light. When clicked the lamp switch22twice, the LED lamp331is driven to flash, giving a visual warning signal. When keeps the lamp switch22pressed for more than 2 seconds, the LED lamp331will be turned off, or provide an extra switching function.

The electric heater4is mounted in the first accommodation chamber13of the housing1below a cigarette lighter port17at the top side of the housing1. The cigarette lighter port17is a human-friendly design, having a tapered inside wall171that facilitates insertion of a cigarette into the cigarette lighter port17for lighting by the electric heater4. The electric heater4comprises an electric heating wire41electrically connected with the contact switch213of the motherboard assembly21to form an electric loop, and a ceramic heater holder42that holds the electric heating wire41in place.

The electric heater4further comprises a holding-down member43, and a spring member44. The holding-down member43is a multi-fork member, having a top contact end431, which extends out of an opening124on the cover shell12of the housing1between the two lugs123and stopped against a beveled edge313on each of the mounting blocks311, and a bottom rod432that extends through (a hole on) a stop plate125in the cover shell12. The spring member44is a spring coil sleeved onto the bottom rod432and stopped between the holding-down member43and the stop plate125. The holding-down member43further has a first press rod433disposed at one lateral side corresponding to the contact switch213, and a second press rod434disposed at an opposite lateral side. The first press rod433and the second press rod434are respectively inserted through a respective rib plate126in the cover shell12. The rib plates126are adapted to guide movement of the holding-down member43in vertical direction. When the contact switch213of the motherboard assembly21and a return spring218are respectively pressed by the first press rod433and second press rod434of the holding-down member43, the two contact terminals213aand213bof the contact switch213are forced into contact with each other to close the circuit loop, allowing transmission of electric power from the rechargeable battery24to the motherboard assembly21and then the electric heating wire41, causing the electric heating wire41to become hot for lighting a cigarette.

Further, to assure user's safety and to avoid the electric heater4from wasting electric energy, the ECU (electronic control unit) of the motherboard assembly21automatically cuts off power supply, a predetermined period of time, for example,10seconds after opening of the lamp cover31, even if the first press rod433of the holding-down member43is kept pressed on the contact switch213. When wishing to light a cigarette again, close the lamp cover31and then open it again to reset the ECU (electronic control unit) of the motherboard assembly21, enabling the battery power supply to be transmitted from the rechargeable battery24to the motherboard assembly21and then the electric heating wire41of the electric heater4.

Further, when turned on the light source unit3or the electric heater4, the ECU (electronic control unit) of the motherboard assembly21selectively drives one of the power level indicator lamps215to give off light for a predetermined period of time, for example, 5 seconds, indicating the remaining power level of the rechargeable battery24.

Referring toFIG. 3, the cover shell12of the housing1has a hanging hole127for the mounting of a hanging ornament or keychain. Further, a USB connector of a cable can be inserted through the insertion slot121and electrically connected to the USB connector type power socket23to charge the rechargeable battery24subject to the control of the ECU (electronic control unit) of the motherboard assembly21.

Referring toFIG. 4, after removal of the cover shell12, the relationship between the lamp cover31and the holding-down member43are clearly seen. Subject to the design of the beveled edge313on each of the mounting blocks311of the lamp cover31and the effect of the spring member44to force the contact end431of the holding-down member43against the beveled edge313on each of the mounting blocks311, a downward moment is produced at one side of the lamp cover31opposite to its pivot connection side, avoiding vibration when the lamp cover31is closed. Further, the distance dl between the pivot pin314and the beveled edge313on each of the mounting blocks311is shorter than the distance between the pivot pin314and the right side wall of the lamp cover31.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, when opening the lamp cover31, due to the design that the distance dl between the pivot pin314and the beveled edge313on each of the mounting blocks311is shorter than the distance between the pivot pin314and the right side wall of the lamp cover31, the right side wall of the lamp cover31will be vertically pressed on the contact end431of the holding-down member43, forcing the bottom rod432to compress the spring member44, and the first and second press rods433and434will touch the contact switch213and the return spring218, thereby causing the contact terminals213aand213bto be electrically connected. When the contact terminals213aand213bare electrically connected, the battery power supply is transmitted from the rechargeable battery24to the motherboard assembly21and then the electric heating wire41, causing the electric heating wire41to become hot for lighting a cigarette. If the user switches on the lamp switch22at this time, the LED lamp331will be turned on to give off light for illumination.

Further, except for power input, the power socket23of the motherboard assembly21can be electrically connected to an external mobile electronic device, such as cell phone, MP3, MP4, etc., through a power cable to charge the battery of the external mobile electronic device subject to the control of the ECU (electronic control unit) of the motherboard assembly21. Further, by means of opening and closing the battery lid14, the user can replace the rechargeable battery24. Except the advantage for use as a battery charger, the invention allows replacement of the rechargeable battery24. Thus, the user can prepare multiple well-charged rechargeable batteries as spare members for replacement, expanding the charging capacity. This advantage is not achievable by conventional designs that use a single, fixed type rechargeable battery.

In conclusion, the invention provides a multipurpose hand lamp, which has the advantages and features as follows:1. When compared to the prior art techniques that require a complicated operation procedure, the invention allows the user to light cigarettes rapidly within a short time; according to test, when the rechargeable battery is at full energy, the multipurpose hand lamp can light more than 200 pcs cigarettes (10 packages), i.e., the invention is power saving in operation.2. The light source and the electric heater are separately controlled by means of the lamp switch and the holding-down member, facilitating operation and eliminating the inconvenience problem of the prior art single sliding starter design.3. Simply by means of opening or closing the lamp cover to close or open the electric loop of the electric heater, the user can turn on/off the electric heater conveniently, avoiding the complicated operation procedure of the prior art single sliding starter design.4. Subject to the special ECU (electronic control unit) design, the USB type power socket can be used for power input as well as for power output; the replaceable rechargeable battery design allows the user to replace the rechargeable battery conveniently.5. The ECU (electronic control unit) also controls the indicator lamps for charging indication and power level indication.