Patent Publication Number: US-2011068741-A1

Title: Flashlight battery charger

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the invention 
     The present invention relates to a flashlight battery charger, especially to a flashlight battery charger that includes at least one rechargeable battery mounted in a flashlight so as to charge other electronic devices to maximum capacity. The flashlight battery charger is portable and is used to charge the electronic device directly when power in batteries of the electronic device is mostly consumed so as to avoid the inconvenience caused by no power source available. The flashlight battery charger has more applications, not only for illumination of the flashlight, but also charging the connected electronic product to the maximum capacity. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The fast development of modern technology has great impact on essential components present in our daily lives. One of the most common examples is an electronic device. By power sources available around us, the electronic devices bring tremendous convenience to our life and become one of daily essentials. To facilitate easy carrying of the electronic devices, most of them are mounted with rechargeable batteries for power supply. 
     However, although the rechargeable batteries can be recharged to full power again, a problem is raised when users go out and there is no city power available. Once power in the rechargeable batteries is run out, the electronic devices are unable to work. Thus there is still a space for improvement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a flashlight battery charger. 
     In order to achieve above object, the flashing battery charger includes a flashlight, at least one rechargeable battery mounted in the flashlight and a charger. A socket is disposed on a rechargeable battery of a flashlight and is connected with a city power system for charging the rechargeable battery. After completing the battery charging, users can not only use the present invention to make the flashlight light up, but also plug a charger into the socket of the rechargeable battery. By an output terminal on the other end of the charger directly connected with various electronic products or connected with various electronic products by adaptors, power in the rechargeable battery is boosted by a boost unit in the charger so as to charge the connected electronic products to a level of full capacity. The flashlight battery charger is portable and easy to carry. After power in the battery of the electronic product being consumed mostly, the battery in the flashlight is used directly or is taken out of the flashlight for charging the electronic product to its maximum capacity. Thus the inconvenience caused by no power supply for electronic products can be avoided. The present invention has more practical values. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an explosive view of a flashlight according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an explosive view of a rechargeable battery according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing showing circuitry of a boost unit according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing showing a use state of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing showing a use state of another embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an explosive view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an end view showing a use state of the embodiment in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial cross sectional view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial cross sectional view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial cross sectional view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic drawing showing a use state of a further embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Refer to  FIG. 1 , a flashlight charger of the present invention includes a flashlight  1 , at least one rechargeable battery  2  mounted in the flashlight  1 , and a charger  3 . 
     Also refer to  FIG. 2 , the flashlight  1  includes a battery mounting space  11  for receiving the rechargeable battery  2 , a locking slot  111  disposed on an inner edge of the battery mounting space  11 , a step-like edge  112  formed on an outer edge of the battery mounting space  11  and corresponding to the locking slot  111 , a through hole  12  disposed on a side edge of the flashlight  1 , and a cover  13 . After the rechargeable battery  2  being received in the battery mounting space  11 , the cover  13  is covered and fixed on the flashlight  1 . 
     Refer to  FIG. 3 , an explosive view of the rechargeable battery  2  is revealed. The rechargeable battery  2  includes a left housing and a right housing  21 , corresponding to each other. A space inside the left housing and the right housing  21  is divided into a battery receiving slot  212  and a plug receiving slot  213  by a dividing rib  211 . The battery receiving slot  212  is to load at least one power storage unit  22 . The power storage unit  22  can be a single one or a plurality of power storage units  22  connected in series according to the power it supplies. A charge-discharge protection circuit  221  is electrically connected with a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the power storage unit  22 , and a socket  23 . 
     Then a washer  222 , the power storage unit  22 , a pad  223 , a foam washer  224 , the charge-discharge protection circuit  221  and a positive electrode plate  225  are put into a space inside the battery receiving slot  212 . The socket  23 , a positive electrode  226 , an electrode holder  227 , a sticker  228 , a negative electrode holder  229  and a negative electrode  220  are mounted into the plug receiving slot  213 . The negative electrode  220  is fixed in the negative electrode holder  229  and the positive electrode  226  is fixed in the electrode holder  227 . Then the negative electrode holder  229  and the electrode holder  227  are attached with each other by the sticker  228  therebetween. An opening of the socket  23  just faces a socket hole  214  of the left housing and the right housing  21 . A gap between the dividing ribs  211  of the left housing and a right housing  21  allows wires that connect socket  23  with the power storage unit  22  as well as the charge-discharge protection circuit  221  to pass through. In order to save the space, flat wires are used. After corresponding components being set into the battery receiving slot  212  and the plug receiving slot  213 , the left housing and the right housing  21  is welded by an ultrasonic welding machine. The positive electrode plate  225  is exposed through a hole on the right end of the left housing and the right housing  21  while the negative electrode  220  is exposed through a hole on the left end of the left housing and the right housing  21 . Moreover, a projecting mounting rib  215  is disposed on an outer edge of the left housing and the right housing  21 , corresponding to the locking slot  111  on an inner edge of the battery mounting space  11  of the flashlight  1 . A stopping flange  216  is formed on an outer end of the projecting mounting rib  215 , corresponding to the step-like edge  112  formed on the outer edge of the battery mounting space  11 . Thus the projecting mounting rib  215  on the outer edge of the left housing and the right housing  21  and the locking slot  111  disposed on the inner edge of the battery mounting space  11  are located and locked with each other when the rechargeable battery  2  is loaded into the battery mounting space  11  of the flashlight  1 . Meanwhile by the limit of the stopping flange  216  corresponding to the step-like edge  112  formed on the outer edge of the battery mounting space  11 , the rechargeable battery  2  is loaded into the battery mounting space  11  only in a single direction. Thus the battery electrodes arranged in the wrong direction can be avoided. The rechargeable battery  2  is located stably, without rotation, in the battery mounting space  11  of the flashlight  1  and the socket hole  214  of the rechargeable battery  2  corresponds to the through hole  12  disposed on the side edge of the flashlight  1  precisely. 
     As to the socket  23  of the rechargeable battery  2  mounted in the flashlight  1 , it can also be connected with an input terminal  31  of the charger  3 . The charger  3  further includes a boost unit  32 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , and an output terminal  33  on the other end thereof. 
     Thereby the socket  23  of the rechargeable battery  2  mounted in the flashlight  1  is connected with a city power system for charging the rechargeable battery  2 . After the charging being completed, the rechargeable battery  2  can not only provide power to the flashlight  1  but also supply power to various electronic products by the input terminal  31  of the charger  3  connected with the socket  23  and the output terminal  33  on the other end of the charger  3  connected with the electronic products. The power in the rechargeable battery  2  of the flashlight  1  is boosted by the boost unit  32  of the charger  3  so as to charge the connected electronic products to the maximum capacity. 
     Moreover, refer to embodiments shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the output terminal  33  on the other end of the charger  3  is connected with various adaptors  331  according to different specifications of connectors of the electronic products so as to connect the present invention with the electronic products. Thus the electronic product connected is charged to its maximum capacity by the rechargeable battery  2  received in the flashlight  1 . 
     Furthermore, refer to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , in the charger  3 , the input terminal  31  is integrated with the boost unit  32  and an outer surface of a housing of the boost unit  32  is concavely arranged with a curved part  321  whose shape is corresponding to the rechargeable battery  2 . Thus in use, the rechargeable battery  2  is released from the battery mounting space  11  of the flashlight  1  and the input terminal  31  of the charger  3  is directly plugged into and connected with the socket  23  correspondingly through the socket hole  214  of the rechargeable battery  2 . Now the curved part  321  on the outer surface of the housing of the boost unit  32  is resting against the rechargeable battery  2  correspondingly. Similarly, the output terminal  33  on the other end of the charger  3  is plugged into and connected with various electronic products and the power in the rechargeable battery  2  is boosted by the boost unit  32  so as to charge the connected electronic product to the maximum capacity. 
     A light source  14  on a front end of the flashlight  1  can be changed according to users&#39; requirements. For example, a light source for general illumination is used. Or as shown in  FIG. 9 , the light source  14  includes a large lighting area so as to achieve large area illumination. Or refer to  FIG. 10 , a front end of the light source  14  is disposed with a projecting part with a wave-like surface (convex and concave surfaces). The flashlight  1  is not only used for illumination but also working as outdoor survival/rescue equipment. The projecting part with the wave-like surface can be used to dig things or break fragile objects such as glass etc. Or when a car falls into water, it is difficult for passengers in the car to escape through the door due to the water pressure. Users can use the projecting part on the front end of the light source  14  to break the window out and escape. Refer to  FIG. 11 , an end of the flashlight  1  is covered by a hollow lamp shield  15  filled with air therein. Thus the device is not only used as a lighting device but is also put into water as a fishing light. Due to air filled inside the lamp shield  15 , the device floats on water and light emitted therefrom attracts fishes. Thus the device is used as a fishing light for anglers to attract fish, providing illumination while fishing, or working as a distress light for people floating in the water. Refer to  FIG. 12 , the lamp shield  15  on the end of the flashlight is threaded with a tripod  16 . By the tripod  16 , the flashlight  1  is located and fixed on the ground for illumination. 
     In summary, compared with the devices available now, the present has following advantages: 
     1. After the rechargeable battery inside the flashlight charged completely, the rechargeable battery supplies power to the flashlight for illumination.
 
2. The rechargeable battery mounted inside the flashlight is disposed with the socket that connects with various electronic products directly or connects with them by different adaptors. Thus power in the rechargeable battery inside the flashlight is boosted by the boost unit in the charger so as to charge the connected electronic product fully.
 
3. The flashlight of the present invention is not only a portable lighting device for users but also is a power source. The rechargeable battery mounted in the flashlight is used to charge the electronic products directly when the power of the battery in the electronic product is run out so as to avoid the inconvenience caused by no power source for electronic products.
 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.