Abstract:
The present invention relates to a handle ( 10   a ) for attaching to a flashlight ( 8 ) to form a baton ( 6 ). The flashlight ( 8 ) is of the type comprising a switch ( 2 ) for activating the flashlight light. The handle ( 10   a ) comprises a handle body ( 20   a ), attachment means for attaching said handle body ( 20   a ) to a flashlight ( 8 ), and an actuator fitted to said handle body ( 20   a ). When the handle body ( 20   a ) is attached to the flashlight ( 8 ) such that said actuator is positioned in register with the switch ( 2 ), actuation of the actuator will actuate the switch ( 2 ). A baton ( 6 ) comprising the handle ( 10   a ), a kit for forming the baton ( 6 ) and a method for forming the baton ( 6 ) are also provided.

Description:
[0001]     The present application is related to, and claims benefit from, U.S. provisional patent application 60/461,408. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention provides a handle, and method for attaching the handle to a flashlight to form a baton, the handle being specially adapted to enable operation of the flashlight after attachment.  
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Batons and flashlights are widely used by police officers and security guards. Flashlights can be desirably incorporated into batons thereby removing the need for such personnel to carry both a baton and a flashlight. There are many proposals in the prior art directed toward combining flashlights with baton like security sticks.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,990 discloses a self-defence/attack device adapted to contain a flashlight and a side handle projection to hold the device, however, it is not a baton per Be owing to its relatively small size. Similarly, the security stick of U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,649 can not be considered a baton due to the absence of a handle. Neither of these devices are compatible for use with existing flashlights.  
         [0005]     Other security sticks provide flashlights as well as additional security features including audible alarms (U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,901), guns (U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,764), and electric shock generators (U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,807). Such devices are specially manufactured and are not compatible for use with existing flashlights.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,227 discloses a baton with a flashlight at one end wherein a groove is provided near the handle to operate the flashlight switch. This arrangement is not well adapted for single-hand operation of both the baton and flashlight.  
         [0007]     There is a need for a handle which can be attached to an existing flashlight to form a baton.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle for attaching to a flashlight to form a baton, the flashlight being of the type comprising a switch for activating the light of the flashlight, said handle comprising:  
         [0009]     a handle body;  
         [0010]     attachment means for attaching said handle body to a flashlight; and  
         [0011]     an actuator fitted to said handle body, wherein when said handle body is attached to said flashlight such that said actuator is positioned in register with said switch, actuation of said actuator will actuate said switch.  
         [0012]     The invention is particularly adapted to actuating switches of the press-button type by said actuator pressing said press-button.  
         [0013]     Preferably, said actuator is contained within said handle body.  
         [0014]     Preferably, said actuator returns to a standby position after said actuator presses said press-button switch.  
         [0015]     Even more preferably, said actuator comprises a spring for returning said actuator to said standby position.  
         [0016]     Preferably, said actuator comprises an actuator rod that can be positioned directly over said press-button switch when said handle body is attached to said flashlight.  
         [0017]     Preferably, said attachment means is provided by a clamping collar.  
         [0018]     Even more preferably, said collar has a switch access hole such that a user can access the flashlight press-button switch with a finger when the switch access hole is coincident with the press-button switch.  
         [0019]     In another aspect, there is provided a baton comprising:  
         [0020]     a flashlight comprising a switch for activating the flashlight; and  
         [0021]     a detachable handle attached to said flashlight to form a baton, said handle comprising a handle body, attachment means for attaching said handle body to a flashlight and an actuator fitted to said handle body, wherein when said handle body is attached to said flashlight such that said actuator is positioned in register with said switch, actuation of said actuator will actuate said switch.  
         [0022]     In another aspect, there is provided a kit comprising:  
         [0023]     a flashlight comprising a switch for activating the flashlight; and  
         [0024]     a handle for attaching to said flashlight to form a baton, said handle comprising a handle body, attachment means for attaching said handle body to a flashlight and an actuator fitted to said handle body, wherein when said handle body is attached to said flashlight such that said actuator is positioned in register with said switch, actuation of said actuator will actuate said switch.  
         [0025]     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a baton from a flashlight and a handle; the flashlight comprising a switch for activating the flashlight light; said handle comprising a handle body, attachment means for attaching said handle body to a flashlight, and an actuator fitted to said handle body; said method comprising:  
         [0026]     attaching said handle body to said flashlight using said attachment means such that said actuator is positioned in register with said switch, wherein actuation of said actuator will actuate said switch.  
         [0027]     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle for attaching to a flashlight to form a baton, the flashlight being of the type comprising a switch for activating the light of the flashlight, said handle comprising:  
         [0028]     a handle body; and  
         [0029]     attachment means for attaching said handle body to the flashlight, said attachment means comprising a collar;  
         [0030]     wherein said collar has a switch access hole such that a user can access and actuate the flashlight switch with a finger when the switch access hole is co-incident with the switch. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0031]     A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a partially sectioned view of a baton formed by attaching a handle to a conventional security flashlight according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0033]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   e  show single-handed operation of a baton;  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows a rear view of a baton handle according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 4  shows a sectioned rear view of the baton handle of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows a side elevation view of the baton handle of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  shows a partially sectioned side elevation view of the baton handle of  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0038]      FIG. 7  shows a partially sectioned rear view of the baton handle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0039]     Batons are t-shaped devices comprising a stick with an orthogonally attached handle. A conventional security flashlight  8 , also often referred to as a torch, can be modified by securely attaching a handle  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention to form a baton  6 . This general configuration is shown in  FIG. 1 . Security flashlights suitable for this application include those marketed under the name MAG-LITE having a press-button switch  2 . (MAG-LITE is a trade mark of Nag Instruments of Ontario, Calif., USA) Press-button switches are also often referred to as push-button or toggle switches.  
         [0040]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, an actuator having an actuator rod  12   a  is fitted to a handle body  20   a  and has an end portion  13   a  which protrudes from the free end of the handle  10   a . When the handle is attached to a flashlight, with the actuator rod  12   a  in register with the press-button of the flashlight  8 , a user  4  can press the end Portion  13   a  of the actuator rod with a thumb whilst gripping the handle  10   a . Some examples of how the baton  6  may be manipulated by the user  4  during single-handed operation are shown in  FIGS. 2   a - e.    
         [0041]     The handle  10   a  is attached to the flashlight  8  with an attachment means. Attaching the handle  10   a  such that it coincides with the flashlight&#39;s press-button switch  2  gives the overall baton  6  good balance for operational use as shown in  FIG. 2 . The handle  10   a  and/or attachment means must however be adapted to facilitate operation of the press-button switch  2 .  
         [0042]     An example of a handle  10   b  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 3-6 . Where appropriate, similar numbering is used to show features which are common with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The handle has a handle body  20   b , an attachment means in the form of a clamping collar  14   b  for attaching the handle body to the flashlight  8 , and an actuator fitted to the interior of the handle body.  
         [0043]     The handle body  20   b  constitutes a generally cylindrical shape, with a hollow central cavity  25   b  in which the actuator is fitted. The handle body  20   b  is adapted to fit the hand comfortably by having a curved outer surface  24   b . A flanged free end  26   b  minimises the likelihood of the baton slipping from the user&#39;s grasp during operation. The handle body  20   b  can be made from any suitable material such as a hardened plastic, fibreglass, a moulded alloy or steel.  
         [0044]     The clamping collar  14   b  is firmly attached to the attaching end of the handle body  20   b . The effective inner diameter of the collar  28   b  is adjustable to ensure a firm fit when the handle  10   b  is attached to the flashlight  8 . The collar  14   b  has two free ends  36  which can be temporarily widened by the user  4  so as to permit the flashlight  8  to be placed within the collar  14   b  and manipulated into the required position before clamping.  
         [0045]     The collar  14   b  is integrally formed with the handle body  20   b  from hardened plastic. A tapered slit  34  extends radially outward from the free ends  36  and inner surface of the collar  14   b  along the handle  10   b , on either side of the actuator rod  12   b . Two holes  32  are also provided on opposite sides of the actuator rod  12   b  for accommodating two bolts. Each bolt is accommodated in a hole and passes through a slit  34 . Nuts are tightened on the tail of each bolt when attaching the handle  10   b  to the flashlight  8 . Tightening the two nut and bolt pairs brings the free ends  36  of the collar  14   b  closer together, narrowing the slit  34  and thereby clamping the flashlight  8  within the collar  14   b . A screw and threaded hole combination can be used as an alternative to the nut and bolt arrangement. When the flashlight  8  is clamped within the collar  14   b , the handle body  20   b  protrudes from the flashlight  8  at a right angle and cannot rotate about its longitudinal axis.  
         [0046]     As previously mentioned, the actuator is fitted within a hollow central cavity  25   b  of the handle body  20   b . The actuator includes an actuator rod  12   b , compression spring  22   b  and plunger  38   b . The actuator rod  12   b  runs along the length of the handle body  20   b , passing through the hollow central cavity  25   b  of the handle body  20   b , terminating with a plunger  38  at the attaching end of the handle  10   b . The plunger  38   b  is positioned directly over the press-button switch  2  of the flashlight  8  when the handle body  20   b  is fastened securely to the flashlight  8 . The actuator rod  12   b  passes through the compression spring  22   b.    
         [0047]     The actuator rod  12   b  is located centrally within the hollow central cavity  25   b  and is laterally supported at either end by abutting the inner wall of the hollow central cavity  25   b . The actuator rod  12   b  can longitudinally slide in or out relative to the handle body  20   b  as required, with step  40  limiting the extent of inward movement of the actuator rod  12   b.    
         [0048]     A fixed endstop pin  44  is fitted securely to the handle body  20   b  and passes through a slotted keyway  16  provided in the actuator rod  12   b . This arrangement prevents the rotation of the actuator rod  12   b  about its longitudinal axis. When the actuator is in its standby position as shown in  FIG. 4 , an end portion  13   b  of the actuator rod  12   b  is flush with the free end of the handle body  20   b  and a small gap is present between the plunger  38   b  and the press-button switch  2  of the flashlight  8 . The compression spring  22   b  in the hollow central cavity  25   b  of the handle body  20   b  abuts the end portion  13   b  and step  42   b , so as to maintain the actuator&#39;s standby position. The press-button switch  2  is not pressed when the actuator is in its standby position.  
         [0049]     When force is longitudinally applied toward the flashlight  8  by a user  4  pressing the end portion  13   b  of the actuator rod  12   b , the compression spring  22   b  further compresses such that the plunger  38   b  presses down on the flashlight press-button switch  2  directly beneath it. Removing this force will cause the compression spring  22   b  to expand and the actuator will thus resume its standby position. A section  33  is cut away from the free end of the handle body  20   b  which causes a part of the end portion  13   b  to protrude from the handle body  20   b , thereby enabling a user  4  to more readily press down on the end portion  13   b  of the actuator rod  12   b . When the actuator is depressed, the actuator rod  12   b  axially slides in the hollow central cavity  25   b  and the fixed endstop pin  44  moves relative to the slotted keyway  16 . It will be appreciated that the slotted keyway  16  assists in laterally constraining the motion of the actuator rod  12   b.    
         [0050]     Another feature of the preferred embodiment is a switch access hole  50   b  provided in the collar  14   b  for enabling the user  4  to access the flashlight press-button switch  2  with a finger. When the handle is attached to the flashlight such that the switch access hole  50   b  is coincident with the press-button switch  2 , the user  4  can directly press the flashlight press-button switch  2  with a finger through the switch access hole  50   b . The actuator provided for in the handle  10   b  is effectively in-operable whilst using this feature.  
         [0051]     Further detail of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The actuator rod  12   a  is located centrally within the hollow central cavity  25   a  of the handle body  20   a . When the actuator is in the standby position, the end portion  13   a  of the actuator rod  12   a  slightly protrudes from the free end of the handle body  20   a . There is provided a pair of actuator rod locators  41  for centralising the lateral position of the actuator rod  12   a  within the hollow central cavity  25   a . The outer diameter of the actuator rod  12   a  is smaller than the inner diameter of the actuator rod locators  41  such that the actuator rod  12   a  can slide axially as required. The actuator rod  12   a  can also rotate about its longitudinal axis.  
         [0052]     The handle body  20   a  is adapted to fit the hand comfortably by having a curved outer surface  24   a . A flanged free end  26   a  minimises the likelihood of the baton slipping from the user&#39;s grasp during operation. A bush  43  is force fitted to the actuator rod  12   a . The bush  43  abuts one actuator rod locator  41  when the actuator is held in the standby position by a compression spring  22   a , the compression spring  22   a  thereby abutting an end of the bush  43  and a step  42   a  formed by an end of the other actuator rod locator  41 . A plunger  38   a  is connected to an end of the actuator rod  12   a.    
         [0053]     A collar  14   a  is provided having two free ends  30 . Each free end  30  has a raised lip  35 . Each lip  35  has two holes  33  situated on opposite sides of the actuator rod  12   a  for accommodating bolts. Tightening two bolts passing through the lips  35 , with nuts, causes the free ends  30  to be drawn together thereby clamping the flashlight  8  within the collar  14   a . A switch access hole  50   a  is also provided in the collar  14   a.    
         [0054]     It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that a number of variations to the foregoing embodiment are permissible that fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, the actuator need not be fitted within the handle body  20  and could alternatively be fitted externally to a solid handle body.  
         [0055]     Alternative actuators can be substituted for the compression spring actuator detailed in the preferred embodiment for actuating a press-button switch including tension spring and gas chamber equivalents. Alternative actuators can be substituted for actuating other switch types including sliding, lever, tilt or rotary switches.  
         [0056]     Some torches have rechargeable batteries with external contacts located in the region of the button. A battery charger for charging the batteries receives the external contacts and charges the battery. In another embodiment, the collar of the handle can be readily modified to incorporate contacts for connecting a battery charger to the external contacts without removing the handle.  
         [0057]     These and other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art and should be considered as falling within the scope of the invention described herein.