Abstract:
A hand-held battery powered device senses when it is picked up, and then automatically turns on. When the device is released or set back down, it automatically turns off. Touch or contact sensors sense the touch of a human hand, causing a circuit in the device to switch on a light source, such as an LED, or a motor, or other load. The device is advantageously designed so that when grasped or picked up, the fingers of the user&#39;s hand lay over touch sensors. Various types of touch sensors may be used. The touch sensors operate electrically, and without any movement, or moving parts.

Description:
[0001]     This Application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/127,475, filed May 12, 2005, and now pending, and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Hand-held electrical and electronic appliances and similar devices typically have an external switch used to turn the device on and off. Various switches have been used on these types of devices, including push-button switches, sliding switches, twist-on/twist-off switches, dial switches, and many others. These switches are generally mechanically actuated by the user&#39;s finger or thumb. However, switch actuation is necessary to turn the device on or off. This can result in difficulty and/or delay, especially in dark conditions, where the switch cannot be seen, and when the user is not familiar with the design of the device.  
         [0003]     Some types of hand-held electrically powered devices, such as flashlights, have been designed with switches that automatically turn the flashlight on when the flashlight is removed from a charger, wall socket, or other location. Alternatively, some flashlights and other devices automatically switch on when immersed in water, or when moved into a specific vertical or horizontal position, or when some other event occurs. While these automatic-on designs avoid the need for manually switching the device on, they can also result in premature and inadvertent battery depletion.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, there is a need for improved electrically powered hand-held devices.  
       BRIEF STATEMENT  
       [0005]     A new electrically powered device or appliance senses when it is picked up, and then automatically turns on. When the device is released or set back down, it automatically turns off. In one aspect, the device may have touch or contact sensors that can sense the touch of a human hand. The device is advantageously designed so that when grasped or picked up, the fingers of the user&#39;s hand lay over touch sensors, causing the device to turn on. Various types of touch sensors may be used. The touch sensors may operate purely electrically, and without any movement, or moving parts.  
         [0006]     The features described in one embodiment may also be used in the other embodiments. The invention resides as well in sub-combinations of the elements shown and described. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     In the drawings, wherein the same element number indicates the same element, in each of the views:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front and top perspective view of a flashlight having touch sensing on/off operation.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a back and top perspective view of the flashlight shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the flashlight shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is bottom view of the flashlight shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the flashlight shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a circuit for use in the flashlight shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a front, top and right side perspective view of a keychain light having touch sensing on/off operation.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a back, top and left side perspective view of the keychain light shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a bottom, front and left side perspective view of a compact having a mirror light with touch sensing on/off operation.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the mirror light shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a front and left side perspective view of a fan having touch sensing on/off operation.  
         [0019]      FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of the fan shown in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 13  is a back, top and right side perspective view of the fan shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , with the fan supported in a holder.  
         [0021]      FIG. 14  is an exploded perspective view of the fan shown in  FIGS. 11-13 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram of a circuit for use in the fan shown in  FIGS. 11-14 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a massager having touch sensing on/off operation.  
         [0024]      FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view of the massager shown in  FIG. 16 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 18  is a bottom perspective view of a decision maker having touch sensing operation.  
         [0026]      FIG. 19  is top view of the decision maker shown in  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     The invention relates to hand-held devices or appliances that are electrically powered. As used here, the word device includes all hand-held articles that are portable and are electrically powered via self contained power sources (which typically are batteries). The devices may or may not have a moving element, such as a fan blade, or the tip of a massager. The devices may have display screens and sound speakers, such as a cell phone, PDA, video game, etc. and they may also have vibrating elements, such as a pager or a massager.  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , an appliance or device, and in this specific embodiment, a flashlight  10 , has a body or housing  12 . A light source  24 , such as an LED or incandescent bulb, and optionally a lens  22 , are at a front end  16  of the housing  12 . A door or cover  26  may be provided at the back end  18 . The door  26  may be opened to access a battery compartment, to change the batteries. The flashlight advantageously may have a flat bottom surface  20 . The bottom surface  20  may be formed as part of the housing  12 , or as shown in the Figures, a base  14  may form the bottom surface  20 .  
         [0029]     Referring now also to  FIG. 5 , in the design shown, a separate base  14  is used. First and second contact bars or strips  36  are located on the bottom or outside facing surface of the base  14 . The contact bars  36  may be generally parallel to each other, as well as parallel to a central axis of the generally cylindrical housing  12 . If used, the base  14  may have an upward angled or extending front plate  38  and a rear plate  40 . Then the front plate  38  may surround or be adjacent to the lens  22 , and the door  26  can be supported on the back plate  40 . A reflector  62  may optionally be provided around the light source  24 . One or more batteries  44  can be placed in a battery compartment or space, formed between the base  14  and a battery cover or frame  42 .  
         [0030]     A mechanical micro-switch  54  can be supported in a switch holder  56  on the battery cover  42 , actuated by a push button  52  biased outwardly by a spring  50 . Front and back end battery contacts  46  and  48  make electrical connections to the batteries. A circuit board  60 , if used, can be attached onto posts on the battery cover  42 . The base  14  and housing  12  may be attached together via screws  66  in stand offs  64 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The specifics of the part selections, placement and mechanical attachment are not critical and can of course be varied, within the scope of the invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows the electrical connections and circuit  65  of the flashlight  10 . The positive side of the batteries  44  connects to the on/off switch  54 . The touch or contact bars  36 , which may be carbon contact bars, are connected across resistor R 2  and transistor Q 5 , with further connections as shown between the other components, discrete or integrated. The light source or LED  24  is connected across Q 1 . Again, the design specifics of the circuit and electrical connections are not critical, so long as the automatic touch/turn function is provided.  
         [0032]     In use, with the switch  54  in the off position, the flashlight remains off at all times, and battery power is conserved. With the switch  54  in the on position, the contacts  36  ordinarily act as an open switch. In this condition, the circuit  65  does not supply current to the LED  24 . When the flashlight is grasped or picked up, the user&#39;s hand bridges the contact bars  36 . The contact bars then act as a closed switch. The circuit  65  is switched on and current is provided to the LED  24 . This continues until the flashlight is released by the user.  
         [0033]     The flashlight  10  may include the housing  12 , the base  14 , or both in the design shown. The word “housing element” designates a housing, or a base, or a combination of a housing and a base. The contacts or contact bars  36  are on, or extend through to, an outside surface of the housing or the base, if used. The housing and/or base are typically made of plastic or metal, and are substantially rigid and incompressible, at least in ordinary use. The contact bars provide for touch detection, preferably without substantial deflection or movement. The contact bars remain stationary at all times, even when the flashlight is grasped or held in the hand of a user. The shape of flashlight therefore remains constant at all times, providing a secure feel in the user&#39;s hand. Squeezing the flashlight, to deform its shape, is not necessary (or possible) for turning on the light, since the contacts operate electrically and not mechanically. The contact bars may not necessarily provide any noticeable tactile feel to the user at all. In other words, the contact elements, and the flashlight or other device itself, is rigid and does not deform when picked up and handled in ordinary use. Although shown in  FIG. 5  as separate elements, the contact bars  36  may be made integral with a base  14 , or with a housing  12 . Accordingly, the contact bars  36 , as well as the other contact elements described below, may not be, and need not be, visible as separate elements on the housing. Rather, they may be designed merely as areas of a housing.  
         [0034]     Other forms of the contact bars  36  may of course also be used, to sense touch. These include other electrical conduction or continuity elements, such as contact points or arrays, inductive or capacitive change sensors, pressure sensitive elements, heat sensitive elements, optical devices, and other devices that sense touch without any mechanical movement by or within the device.  
         [0035]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show a keychain light  70  also having a touch/on feature. The keychain light  70  has a light source or LED  24  on a body or housing  74 . Touch or contact bars, strips or sensors  76  are located on opposite sides of the housing  74 . The contact bars  76  operate in a way similar to the contact bars  36  shown in  FIG. 5 . When the keychain light  70  is picked up, the LED  24  turns on, as explained above in connection with the flashlight  10 .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show a touch light mirror  80  also having a touch/on feature as described above. The touch light mirror  80  may have contact strips on opposite sides of a case  82  as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Alternatively, a lower contact strip  96  and an upper contact plate  100  can be used, as shown in  FIG. 10 . A mirror  108  is attached to the case  82 . Batteries  98  are held in a battery compartment closed off by a door  94 . A circuit board  92  is connected to the batteries  98  by battery contacts  102 , and to an LED  72 . A front or top cover  104  and a lens  106  are also attached to the case.  
         [0037]     When the case is picked up, and the user&#39;s hand touches the contact strips, a light or LED  86  in or on the case turns on. The touch light mirror  80  may have one or more flip open covers  88 . If so, the circuit  65  used in the touch light mirror may also be designed so that the light  86  remains off until a cover is opened.  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , the invention relates to other devices having a light source, in addition to flashlights. The term flashlight, as used here, means these other types of devices as well.  
         [0039]     Turning to  FIGS. 11-15 , a portable or hand-held fan  120  has a front plate  122  attached to a contact ring  124  which in turn is attached to a rear housing  132 . As best shown in  FIG. 14 , a propeller  128  is driven by an electric motor  130  supported on the rear housing  132 . Batteries  134  are contained in a battery compartment on the rear housing  132  closed off by a battery cover plate  142 . Referring to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , a circuit board  136  includes circuitry for controlling and driving the motor  130 . Contact strips  126 , which may be carbon, and an optional on/off switch  138 , are electrically linked to the circuit board. Electrical power is provided to the motor  130  from the batteries  134  through battery contacts  140  and leads to the circuit board  136 .  
         [0040]     Operation of the fan  120  is similar to the other devices described above. When the fan  120  is picked up, the user&#39;s hand makes contact with the contact strips  126 . This switches on the transistors shown in  FIG. 15  allowing current from the batteries  134  to flow to and drive the motor  130 . The contacts  126  act as poles of a switch, with the user&#39;s hands acting to close the switch. The current flow across the contacts  126  is negligible and not noticeable to the user, primarily due to R 3 . The contacts  126  are advantageously fixed in place on the contact ring  124 , do not or need not move appreciably when grasped by the user, and by themselves (i.e., without the user&#39;s hand or other element(s)) do not form a switch. If an on/off switch  138  is included, the fan  120  can be switched on, and can remain on, bypassing the contact strips  126 . The on/off switch  138 , if included, can open or close an electrical connection between R 3  and the base of Q 2  in  FIG. 15 , allowing the fan  120  to operate as a conventional fan having an on/off switch. In this way, the fan can be turned on, and remain on, without the need for the user&#39;s hand to touch the contacts  126 .  
         [0041]     As shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the fan  120  may be placed in a stand  144 . The stand  144  may include a stand contact or conductor  146  adapted to engage both of the contacts strips  126  on the fan  120 . Consequently, when the fan is placed into the stand  144 , the contact strips  126  are bridged, and fan will turn on, or stay on, while in the stand.  
         [0042]      FIGS. 16 and 17  show a massager device  160  also having touch on/off operation. The massager  160  typically has a lower housing  162  attached to an upper housing  164 , and may also include decorative side covers  166 . Contact bars  168 , similar to the contact strips described above, are attached to the side covers  166  and/or to one or both of the housings  162  and  164 . A motor  176 , a circuit board  178 , and one or more batteries  180  along with battery contacts are contained within and supported by one or both of the housings. A vibrator  174  is attached to the shaft of the motor  176 . A magnet  172  extends into a front cap  170 , which is supported on one or both of the housings. A battery cover  184  and an end cap  186  close off the back end of the massager  160 . An on/off switch  182  may also optionally be included. If used, the switch  182  is actuated by pressing in on the end cap  186 .  
         [0043]     Operation of the massager  160  is similar to the devices described above. When the massager  160  is picked up, a small amount of current flows between the contact bars  168 , via the user&#39;s hand, causing the motor to turn on. The front cap  170 , which is preferably metal, vibrates to provide a massaging action. The on/off switch  182  may be provided to allow the massager to be switched on and off for conventional operation.  
         [0044]     Another touch controlled device, in the form of a decision maker  200 , is shown in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . The decision maker  200  is a novelty or entertainment device that provides random or pseudo-random answers to questions posed by the user, for amusement purposes. As shown in  FIG. 18 , the decision maker  200  has a housing containing one or more batteries, a circuit board, and lighting elements  208 , such as LEDs, similar to the other lighted devices described above. Contact pads  204  are provided on the bottom of the housing  202 , as shown in  FIG. 18 . Decision segments  206  are provided on the top of the housing  22 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . The decision segments have printed, engraved, or otherwise applied answers, such as YES, NO, MAYBE, etc. When the decision maker is picked up, the user&#39;s hands make contact with the contact pads, causing a lighting element  208  associated with one of the decision segments to light up. The illuminated decision segment then indicates the decision maker&#39;s answer to the user&#39;s question. The decision maker  200  may optionally be provided with a speaker and voice circuitry, to allow answers to be spoken as well. A window  210  within the decision segments may also be provided, to allow viewing into the hemispherical center section of the housing  202 . Additional lighting elements may be provided to selectively illuminate the interior of the center section. An object, such as a suspended or floating geometric object, or other entertainment piece, may be placed into the center section of the housing. The object can be become visible through the window, when illuminated, to provide additional entertainment.  
         [0045]     Various changes and substitutions can of course be made to the devices described above, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited, except by the following claims, and their equivalents.