Patent Publication Number: US-2006007675-A1

Title: Flashlight

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a flashlight, particularly to one composed of a tube body, a bottom base, a battery, a circuit board and an upper cover. When the battery and the circuit board are electrically connected, plural LED (light emitting diodes) on the circuit board will emit bright light, which is synchronously projected outward for lighting through the light-transmitting hole of the upper cover. The upper cover has its upper end connected with an elongate transparent bar, and the circuit board has its topside assembled with a light-refracting shade so that the light source emitted by the LED can be focused by the light refracting shade and reflected on the elongate transparent bar. Thus, the circuit board is able to control the light emitting diode to emit changeable different-colored light, and the elongate transparent bar able to reflect this changeable different-colored light, which is more brilliant and changeable than that given out by common fluorescent bars. In addition, the flashlight of this invention can be repeatedly used unlimitedly, contributing to environmental protection.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Generally, during singing performance or recreational activities at night, fluorescent bars are indispensable for producing a romantic or joyful atmosphere. However, a conventional fluorescent bar has its interior filled with more than two kinds of fluorescent liquids wrapped up by a soft sack. In using, the fluorescent bar is bent and compressed to break the soft sack to let the different fluorescent liquids flow out and mixed with each other to produce chemical reaction and give out fluorescent light, but the light produced by the fluorescent liquids will fade after employed for a period of time, and after losing fluorescent effect the fluorescent bar will be thrown away. The discarded fluorescent bars still have poisonous chemicals still left inside so they will cause serious pollution and damage to the environment. In addition, the conventional fluorescent bar can only give out single-colored light; therefore, different-colored fluorescent bars have to be purchased in order to produce different-colored light, but this light is still quite monotonous and unchangeable.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The objective of the invention is to offer a flashlight able to be repeatedly used unlimitedly and also able to be used as fluorescent bars for giving out changeable different-colored light.  
      The flashlight in the present invention includes a tube body, a bottom base, a battery, a circuit board and an upper cover. The tube body has its interior formed with a chamber, and its upper and lower end respectively provided with male threads. The bottom base to be threadably combined with the lower end of the tube body has its interior formed with a chamber provided therein with an electric conductor and having it inner wall formed with female threads. The battery is received in the chamber of the tube body. The circuit board is fitted at the upper end of the tube body, having at least one LED installed thereon. The upper cover to be threadably combined with the upper end of the tube body has its interior formed with a chamber provided therein with an annular stop edge and having its lower inner wall formed with female threads. The upper cover further has its topside bored with a light-transmitting hole communicating with the chamber.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of the flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention; and,  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the flashlight in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A first preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes a tube body  1 , a bottom base  2 , a battery  3 , a circuit board  4  and an upper cover  5  combined together.  
      The tube body  1  is formed with a chamber  10  in the interior, and has its upper and lower end respectively provided with male threads  11 ,  12 .  
      The bottom base  2  to be threadably combined with the lower end of the tube body  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  20  provided therein with an electric conductor  21  and having its inner wall provided with female threads  22 .  
      The battery  3  is received in the chamber  10  of the tube body  1 .  
      The circuit board  4  is fitted at the upper end of the tube body  1 , having an LED provided thereon.  
      The upper cover  5  to be threadably assembled on the tube body  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  50  and its topside formed with a light-transmitting hole  53  communicating with the chamber  50 . The chamber  50  of the upper cover  5  is provided with an annular stop edge  51  in the interior and has its lower inner wall provided with female threads  52 .  
      In assembling, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , firstly, the bottom base  2  is threadably assembled with the lower end of the tube body  1  by having its female threads  22  engaging the male threads  12  of the tube body  1 . Next, the battery  3  is received in the chamber  10  of the tube body  1 , letting the bottom of the battery  3  contact with the electric conductor  21  inside the bottom base  2 . Subsequently, the circuit board  4  is fitted at the upper end of the tube body  1 , and the upper cover  5  is threadably assembled with the upper end of the tube body  1  by having its female threads  52  engaging the male threads  11  of the tube body  1 , letting the upper edge of the circuit board  4  push against the lower side of the stop edge  51  inside the upper cover  5 , thus finishing assembly of the flashlight with ease and with quickness.  
      In using, simply have the upper cover  5  and the tube body  1  and the bottom base  2  screwed tight with one another to make the circuit board  4  and the battery  3  electrically connected to enable the light emitting diode  40  on the circuit board  4  to emit bright light, which is synchronously projected outward through the light-transmitting hole  53  of the upper cover  5  to form a light source for lighting.  
      A second preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , includes a tube body  1 , a bottom base  2 , a battery  3 , a circuit board  6 , a light-refracting shade  7 , an upper cover  5  and an elongate transparent bar  8  combined together.  
      The tube body  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  10 , and its upper and lower end respectively provided with male threads  11 ,  12 .  
      The bottom base  2  to be threadably combined with the lower end of the tube body  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  20  provided therein with an electric conductor  21  and having its inner wall provided with female threads  22 .  
      The battery  3  is received in the chamber  10  of the tube body  1 .  
      The circuit board  6  to be fitted at the upper end of the tube body  1  is provided thereon with plural LED  60 , which emit different-colored light.  
      The light-refracting shade  7  to be assembled on the circuit board  6  has its topside formed with a recessed arc-shaped light-refracting surface  70  with plural insert holes  71 .  
      The upper cover  5  to be threadably combined with the upper end of the tube body  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  50  provided therein with an annular stop edge  51  and having its lower inner wall provided with female threads  52 . The upper cover  5  further has its topside bored with a light-transmitting hole  53  communicating with the chamber  50 .  
      The elongate transparent bar  8  is to be fitted at the upper end of the upper cover  5 , having its lower end formed with a connecting member  80 .  
      In assembling, as shown in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  5 , firstly, the bottom base  2  is threadably combined with the lower end of the tube body by having its female threads  22  screwed with the male threads  12  of the tube body  1 . Next, the battery  3  is received in the chamber  10  of the tube body  1 , letting the bottom of the battery  3  contact with the electric conductor  21  inside the bottom base  2 . Then, the circuit board  6  is assembled under the light-refracting shade  7 , letting the plural LED  60  on the circuit board  6  respectively inserted upward through the insert holes  71  of the light-refracting shade  7 . Subsequently, the light-refracting shade  7  together with the circuit board  6  are received in the chamber  50  of the upper cover  5 , letting the upper edge of the light-refracting shade  7  push against the lower side of the annular stop edge  51  inside the upper cover  5 . Afterward, the upper cover  5  is threadably assembled with the upper end of the tube body  1  by having its female threads  52  screwed with the male threads  11  of the tube body  1 . Lastly, the elongate transparent bar  8  has its lower connecting member  80  inserted in the light-transmitting hole  53  of the upper cover  5  to finish assembly of the flashlight, convenient and quick in assembling.  
      In using, simply have the upper cover  5  and the tube body  1  and the bottom base  2  screwed tight with one another to let the circuit board  6  and the battery  3  electrically connected to enable the LED  60  on the circuit board  6  to emit bright light which is synchronously focused by the light-refracting surface  70  of the light-refracting shade  7  and projected outward through the light-transmitting hole  53  of the upper cover  5  and reflected on the elongate transparent bar  8 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Thus, the circuit board  6  is able to control the LED  60  to emit changeable different-colored light which is simultaneously projected on the elongate transparent bar  8  to be reflected outward. During singing performance or recreational activities at night, the flashlight of this invention can serve as shining bars to emit changeable different-colored light which is more changeable and brilliant than the light given out by fluorescent bars and further it can be repeatedly employed unlimitedly.  
      A third preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention has a structure almost the same as that described in the second preferred embodiment, except that the upper cover  5  has its upper side connected with a multi-stick and bunch-like transparent member  9 , as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The multi-stick and bunch-like transparent member  9  has its lower end formed with an insert member  90  to be inserted in the light-transmitting hole  53  of the upper cover  5 . Just as described in the second preferred embodiment, the circuit board  6  controls the LED  60  to emit changeable different-colored light which is synchronously projected on the multi-stick and bunch-like transparent member  9  by the light refracting shade  7 , letting the multi-stick and bunch-like transparent member  9  reflect the changeable different-colored light. In addition, the bottom base  2  of the flashlight of this invention can be placed on the top of a table and the elongate transparent bar  8  can be replaced with different-shaped transparent decorative articles, such as a couple of dancers, a couple of swans or mandarin ducks, to serve as an ornament with changeable light.  
      As can be understood from the above description, this invention has the following advantages.  
      1. The flashlight can be used as a shining bar, able to emit changeable different-colored light.  
      2. The flashlight can be repeatedly used unlimitedly, contributing to environmental protection.  
      3. The flashlight can serve as an ornament for beautifying the interior of one&#39;s home and producing a romantic atmosphere.  
      4. The flashlight can be employed for lighting.  
      While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.