Patent Publication Number: US-2006007681-A1

Title: Flashlight having function of indicating directions

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a flashlight having function of indicating directions, particularly to one composed of a bottom base, a tube body, a battery holder, a circuit board, a light-refracting shade, an upper cover and a compass indicating north pole. When the batteries in the battery base and the circuit board are electrically connected, the light emitting diodes provided on the circuit board will emit bright light, which is simultaneously focused by the light-refracting surface of the light refracting shade and projected outward through the light-transmitting hole of the upper cover. The flashlight of this invention is able to give out brighter light than a common flashlight, and it is provided with a compass indicating north pole under the bottom base for indicating directions, able to increase lighting brightness and easy to be carried about.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      A conventional flashlight used only for lighting is provided with a conventional light bulb for emitting light, but the brightness of the light bulb will gradually fade after the light bulb has been used for a period of time; therefore, the light bulb of the conventional flashlight does not have a long service life and must be frequently replaced with a new one. Usually, when going out for mountaineering or hiking, people have to carry various outfits with them, such as a flashlight for lighting, a compass for indicating directions and the like. Thus, it will take much space for storing the outfits and cause much inconvenience in carrying them.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The objective of the invention is to offer a flashlight having a function of indicating directions and easy to be carried about.  
      A first feature of the invention is a bottom base formed inside with a chamber provided therein with an electric conductor, having its inner wall provided with female threads and having a recessed chamber formed under the bottom. A tube body assembled on the bottom base is formed with a chamber in the interior and has its upper and lower end respectively provided with male threads. A battery holder received in the chamber of the tube body has plural batteries fitted inside and has two electric conductors respectively provided on the topside and under the bottom. A circuit board assembled on the battery holder has plural LED (light emitting diodes) provided on the topside and an electric conductor provided under the bottom. A light-refracting shade assembled on the circuit board has its topside formed with a recessed arc-shaped light-refracting surface with plural insert holes. An upper cover assembled on the tube body has its topside bored with a light-transmitting hole provided therein with a stop edge and its lower inner wall provided with female threads. A compass indicating North Pole is received in the recessed chamber under the bottom of the bottom base.  
      A second feature of the invention is a bottom base formed inside with a chamber provided therein with an electric conductor, having its inner wall provided with female threads and having a recessed chamber formed under the bottom. A tube body assembled on the bottom base has its interior formed with a chamber and its upper and lower end respectively provided with male threads. A battery holder received in the chamber of the tube body has plural batteries fitted inside and has two electric conductors respectively provided on the topside and under the bottom. A circuit board assembled on the battery holder is provided with plural LED on the topside and an electric conductor provided under the bottom. A light-refracting shade assembled on the circuit board has its topside formed with a recessed arc-shaped light-refracting surface with plural insert holes. An upper cover assembled on the tube body has its topside bored with a light-transmitting hole having a stop edge provided therein and its lower inner wall provided with female threads. A compass is received in the recessed chamber under the bottom of the bottom base. 
    
    
     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 having function of indicating directions in the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the flashlight having function of indicating directions in the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the flashlight having function of indicating directions in the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the flashlight placed inversely in the present invention; and,  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of a flashlight placed inversely in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A first preferred embodiment of a flashlight having function of indicating directions in the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes a bottom base  1 , a tube body  2 , a battery holder  3 , a circuit board  4 , a light-refracting shade  5 , an upper cover  6  and a compass  7  combined together.  
      The bottom base  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  10  provided therein with an electric conductor  11  and having its inner wall provided with female threads  12 . The bottom base  1  is further formed with a recessed chamber  13  in the lower portion.  
      The tube body  2  to be assembled on the bottom base  1  has its interior formed with a chamber  20 , and its upper and lower end respectively provided with male threads  21 ,  22 .  
      The battery holder  3  to be received in the chamber  20  of the tube body  2  has plural batteries  30  fitted in the interior, and two electric conductors  31 ,  32  respectively provided on the topside and under the bottom.  
      The circuit board  4  to be assembled on the upper end of the battery holder  3  is provided with plural LED  40  on the topside and an electric conductor  41  under the bottom.  
      The light-refracting shade  5  to be assembled on the circuit board  4  has its topside formed with a recessed arc-shaped light-refracting surface  50  with plural insert holes  51 .  
      The upper cover  6  to be threadably combined with the upper end of the tube body  2  has its topside bored with a light-transmitting hole  60  having an annular stop edge  61  provided therein and its lower inner wall formed with female threads  62 .  
      The compass  7  indicating north pole is received in the recessed chamber  13  under the bottom of the bottom base  1 .  
      In assembling, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , firstly, the bottom base  1  is threadably combined with the lower end of the tube body  2  by having its female threads  12  engaging the male threads  22  of the tube body  2 . Next, the battery holder  3  is received in the chamber  20  of the tube body  2 , letting the bottom of the battery holder  3  closely contact with the electric conductor  11  inside the bottom base  1 . Then, the circuit board  4  is assembled under the light-refracting shade  5 , letting the LED  40  respectively inserted upward through the insert holes  51  of the light-refracting shade  5 . Subsequently, the light-refracting shade  5  together with the circuit board  4  are fitted in the upper cover  6 , letting the upper edge of the light-refracting shade  5  push against the lower side of the stop edge  61  inside the upper cover  6  and afterward, the upper cover  6  is threadably combined with the upper end of the tube body  2  by having its female threads  62  screwed with the male threads  21  of the tube body  2 . Lastly, the compass  7  indicating North Pole is fitted in the recessed chamber  13  under the bottom base  1  to finish assembly the flashlight conveniently and quickly.  
      In using, the upper cover  6 , the tube body  2  and the bottom base  1  are screwed tight with one another to let the electric conductor  41  under the circuit board  4  closely contact with the electric conductor  31  on the topside of the battery holder  3  and also let the electric conductor  32  under the battery holder  3  closely contact with the electric conductor  11  of the bottom base  1  so as to make electric connection. At this time, the light emitting diodes  40  on the circuit board  4  will emit bright light, which is simultaneously focused by the light-refracting surface  50  of the light-refracting shade  5  and projected outward through the light-transmitting hole  60  of the upper cover  6 . Substantially, the light given out by the flashlight of this invention is much brighter than that given out by a common flashlight.  
      Further, the North Pole  7  received in the recessed chamber  13  under the bottom base  1  is able to indicate directions, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      A second preferred embodiment of a flashlight having function of indicating directions in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 5 , has the same structure and function as those described in the first preferred embodiment, except that a compass  8  takes the place of the North Pole  8 .  
      As can be understood from the above description, this invention has the following advantages. 
          1. It has both functions of emitting extremely bright light and indicating directions.     2. It is small and easy to be carried and used.        

      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.