Patent Publication Number: US-10775027-B2

Title: Flashlight tamper-proof structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention provides a flashlight tamper-proof structure including an appropriate section of an end of an opening of a body of a flashlight capable of illumination extending to form a carrying portion; a screw inserted and screwed to an internal thread section of the front end; and a plurality of concave indentations formed at the periphery of the opening of the lamp cover fastened to the end of the opening of the body of the flashlight. The screw screwed to the internal thread section of the front end of the carrying portion on one side of the body of the flashlight can be moved forward with the tool to reach the concave indentations at the periphery of the lamp cover. Accordingly, the lamp cover fastened to an end of the flashlight cannot be unfastened manually. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional flashlight capable of illumination has to meet a safety standard (UL) that a lamp cover of the flashlight cannot be manually unfastened but can only be unfastened with a tool. To this end, related manufacturers put forth a flashlight essentially comprising a flashlight body and a lamp cover which are tightly engaged with each other when put together or are integrally formed as a unitary structure, such that a user needs a tool to separate the flashlight body and the lamp cover in order to change a light bulb therein or has to dismount from or mount on the other end of the flashlight body an object. 
     Therefore, it imperative to provide a flashlight tamper-proof structure for preventing a lamp cover from being unfastened without a tool. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a flashlight tamper-proof structure for preventing a lamp cover fastened to a front end of an illumination-oriented flashlight from being unfastened manually. The flashlight tamper-proof structure includes an appropriate section of an end of an opening of a body of a flashlight extending to form a carrying portion to allow a screw to be inserted into the opening and screwed to an internal thread section penetrating the front end; and a plurality of concave indentations formed at the periphery of the opening of the lamp cover fastened to the end of the opening of the body of the flashlight. The screw screwed to the front end of the carrying portion on one side of the body of the flashlight can be moved forward to reach the concave indentations at the periphery of the lamp cover. Accordingly, the lamp cover fastened to an end of the flashlight cannot be unfastened manually. 
     The first objective of the present invention is to prevent a lamp cover fastened to an end of a flashlight from being unfastened manually. The present invention includes an appropriate section of an end of an opening of a body of a flashlight extending to form a carrying portion; an internal thread section penetrating a front end of the carrying portion; a hole formed at a corresponding point of a rear end of the carrying portion, to allow a screw to be inserted into the carrying portion and screwed to the internal thread section of the front end with a tool; and a plurality of concave indentations formed at the periphery of the opening of the lamp cover fastened to the end of the opening of the body of the flashlight. The screw screwed to the front end of the carrying portion on one side of the body of the flashlight can be moved forward with the tool to reach the concave indentations at the periphery of the lamp cover. Accordingly, the lamp cover fastened to an end of the flashlight cannot be unfastened manually. 
     The second objective of the present invention is that the internal thread section penetrating the front end of the carrying portion formed by extending an appropriate section of an end of an opening of a body of a flashlight can be implemented by a nut embedded at the front end of the carrying portion. 
     The third objective of the present invention is that the carrying portion formed by extending an appropriate section of an end of an opening of a body of a flashlight forms a channel-shaped container opening at the top thereof to allow the screw screwed to the internal thread section at the front end of the carrying portion to fall into between the carrying portion after the screw has been unfastened, such that the screw can be conveniently screwed again at any time and moved forward to reach the concave indentations at an end of the lamp cover. 
     The fourth objective of the present invention is that the diameter of a hole at a rear end of the carrying portion formed by extending an appropriate section of an end of an opening of a body of a flashlight permits admission of an end of a conventional tool for use in fastening the screw. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a flashlight tamper-proof structure according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of assembly and operation of the flashlight tamper-proof structure according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion of the flashlight tamper-proof structure according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the flashlight tamper-proof structure taken along line  40 - 40  of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a flashlight tamper-proof structure for preventing a lamp cover  2  fastened to an end of an opening of a body  1  of a flashlight  3  from being unfastened manually. The flashlight tamper-proof structure essentially comprises the body  1  and the lamp cover  2 . 
     The body  1  has therein a space for receiving a power-supplying battery. A power switch  11  is disposed at the periphery of one side of the body  1  and is adapted to control the ON/OFF of a flashlight lamp. A security switch  12  is pivotally disposed at a predetermined segment of the power switch  11  at the body  1  and is adapted to be movably pushed in or moved out for controllably pushing the power switch  11  into a laterally-positioned recess portion  111  whenever the power switch  11  is not in use to thereby prevent the power switch  11  from being wrongly turned on. An end of the opening of the body  1  extends to form an external thread section  13  for fastening the lamp cover  2 . An appropriate section of the end of the opening of the body  1  extends to form a carrying portion  14 . In this embodiment, the carrying portion  14  is provided in the form of a channel-shaped container that opens at the top thereof. An internal thread section  141  penetrates the front end of the carrying portion  14 , and the internal thread section  141  penetrating the front end of the carrying portion is implemented by a nut  15  embedded at the front end of the carrying portion  14 . A hole  142  is formed at a corresponding point of a rear end of the carrying portion  14 , to allow a screw  4  to be inserted into the carrying portion  14 . The screw  4  is screwed to the internal thread section  141  of the front end with a tool  5 , and the diameter of the hole  142  at the rear end of the carrying portion  14  permits admission of an end of the tool  5  for use in fastening the screw  4 . 
     The coverage of the flashlight lamp by the lamp cover  2  depends on the external thread section  13  extending from an end of the opening of the body  1 . An internal thread section  21  is formed inside the lamp cover  2 . A plurality of concave indentations  22  is formed at the periphery of the opening of the lamp cover  2 . The internal thread section  21  and the concave indentations  22  at the opening of the lamp cover  2  can be implemented together in the form of an element, such that the element and the lamp cover  2  are integrally formed as a unitary structure by bagging. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , there are shown diagrams of the fastening together of the body  1  and the lamp cover  2 . 
     Step  1 : fastening the lamp cover  2  to the external thread section  13  at an end of the opening of the body  1 . Step  2 : positioning the screw  4  between the carrying portion  14  on one side of the body  1 , and guiding, with the tool  5  (in the form of a screwdriver), the screw  4  into the hole  142  at the rear end of the carrying portion  14 . The screw  4  is screwed to the internal thread section  141  at the front end to thereby allow the screw  4  to move forward to reach the concave indentations  22  at the periphery of the lamp cover  2  (see  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 ). Accordingly, the lamp cover  2  fastened to an end of the body  1  of the flashlight cannot be unfastened manually. 
     Unfastening the lamp cover  2  which is otherwise fastened to an end of the opening of the body  1  entails: unscrewing the screw  4  from the front end of the carrying portion  14  on one side of the body  1  by use of the tool  5 , such that the screw  4  is released from the concave indentations  22  at the periphery of the opening of the lamp cover  2 . The screw  4  thus loosened can fall into between the carrying portion  14 , thereby allowing the screw  4  to be conveniently screwed again at any time and moved forward to reach the concave indentations  22  at the end of the lamp cover  2 . Accordingly, the flashlight tamper-proof structure meets a safety standard (UL) of flashlight products that a lamp cover of a flashlight cannot be unfastened without a tool.