Patent Publication Number: US-2005128740-A1

Title: Multipurpose led flashlights and components thereof

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY  
      Applicants hereby claim priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/500,257 filed Sep. 5, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/499,351 filed Sep. 3, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/499,350 filed Sep. 3, 2003. All three Provisional Patent Applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates to lighting appliances and more particularly to flashlights and components thereof including battery packs and LED lighting elements.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Locating a flashlight within easy reach is important in the dark and it also helps to have a flashlight in a consistant location. Previous examples of rechargeable flashlights were connected to a charger plugged into a wall socket. The problem with the prior flashlights was that it was difficult to find in the dark. Therefore, the placement of a flashlight in the base of a lamp renders the flashlight ready for use and easily accessible. The use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) in flashlights provides several advantages over conventional bulb lights including low energy usage and bright light and long life as compared to conventional incandescent flashlight bulbs. The small size of LEDs allows for configuration alterations of flashlights.  
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the invention to provide a lamp having a charging base for removable and rechargeable flashlights.  
      Another object of the invention is to provide flashlights in the form of tubes.  
      Yet another object of the invention is to provide a recharging base for removable and rechargeable flashlights that turn on automatically when power to the recharging base is interrupted.  
      Still another object of the invention is to provide a flashlight having a light transmissive case which can emit light in 360°.  
      Still another object of the invention is to provide a flashlight having a lighted wand extension.  
      Yet another object of the invention is to provide a flashlight having a light transmissive case and a partial reflector to deflect a portion of emitted light into the case and also provide a beam of light.  
      Still another object of the invention is to provide a battery housing which includes both positive and negative terminals at each end.  
      It is a further object of the invention to provide a flashlight which incorporates a battery housing having both positive and negative terminals at each end to provide a light source at each end of the flashlight.  
      These and other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. These objects of the present invention are not exhaustive and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed invention.  
      In summary, the invention involves flashlights useable with a recharging socket in a lamp base to provide removeable flashlights for use during power interruptions or can be used as decorative lighting in combination with an incandescent lamp. The invention also contemplates a flashlight that is convertible to a lantern to provide 360° light using LEDs. The invention further contemplates a battery case for holding a plurality of batteries and providing both positive and negative terminals at each end of the case.  
      With these and other considerations in mind, as will become apparent hereinafter, the invention includes certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and detailed description thereof.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a lamp having four rechargeable flashlights in the base sockets;  
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the lamp of  FIG. 1  with the lampshade removed;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a battery case;  
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the battery case showing the positive and negative terminals;  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a second embodiment of a flashlight construction;  
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of flashlight construction of  FIG. 5 ;  
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the LED base; and,  
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the flashlight of  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 9  shows a wand for attachment to the flashlight of  FIG. 5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Now with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a lamp  10  is shown having a base  12 . The base  12  includes a power cord  14  for supplying power from a conventional wall socket throught plug  15  to the lamp  10 . The base  12  also includes printed circuit boards  16  electrically connected to the power cord  14 . The printed circuit boards  16  include a stepdown transformer circuit to convert household current to a low voltage direct current. Sockets  18  are formed in the base  12  and are electrically connected to the printed circuit boards  16  to form recharging stations for rechargeable flashlights  20 . Extending from base  12  is a post  22  for supporting an incandescent light  24  and a lampshade  26 . The rechargeable flashlights  20  are preferably formed of tubes  28  of acrylic material which may be transparent or opaque and have a battery  30  at the lower end of each tube  28 . A charging circuit of conventional design may be incorporated into the lower end of each tube  28  or a battery case C as described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4  may be used.  
      A light emitting diode  34  is positioned above the battery  30  and is connected to the battery so that light may be emitted from the tube  28 . The light emitting diodes  34  may be designed to emit white light or colored light. The flashlights  20  are designed to be used separately from the incandescent light  24  but may also be used in combination. A switch  36  is located on the base  12  for turning on and off either the flashlights  20  or the incandescent light  24  and also includes a power interrupt setting to automatically turn on the flashlights  20  when power from the power cord  14  is interrupted.  
      Now with reference to  FIGS. 3, 4  and  6 , a battery case C preferably formed of polycarbonate is shown having both positive  40  and negative  42  terminals at each end. This is accomplished by forming a housing  44  for holding a plurality of stacked batteries  46 . In the most preferred embodiment the stacked batteries  46  are three C cell batteries each having a voltage of 1.2 volts dc. Stacking three C cell batteries provides a total of 3.6 volts dc. The battery cells  46  are preferably either NiCd or NiMh but throwaway batteries could also be used. A conductor strip  48  connected from the negative terminal of the most rear C cell battery  50  runs along the entire stack  46  and connects to a terminal cap  52 . Another conductor strip  54  connected from the positive terminal of the most front C cell battery  56  and runs along the entire stack and connects to terminal cap  58 . The terminal caps  52  and  58  will also connect to the polarity of the battery at that particular terminal end, i.e.  50  and  56  respectively. A nonconductive insulating ring  60  isolates the polarity at each of the terminal caps  52  and  58 . It should be understood that different batteries having different voltages may be employed depending on the desired application. The preferred embodiment having three C cell batteries is most advantageous for use with light emitting diodes requiring 3.6 volts.  
      An alternate flashlight  70  is shown in  FIGS. 5 through 8  which also utilizes the battery case C of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the flashlight  70  includes a central housing  72  formed preferably of light transmissive material such as ABS plastic. A pair of removable end portions  74  and  76  preferably constructed of the same light transmissive material are joined to the central housing  72  preferably by screw threads  78  as shown in  FIG. 6 , but may also be joined by other conventional connectors. End portion  74  includes a lens cap  80  having a lens retaining lip  82  for retaining lens  84  in place. Adjacent lens  84  is a reflector  86  for focusing light emitted from light emitting diodes  88  to create a beam of light. Light emitting diodes  88  are mounted on a substrate  90  having terminal engaging rings  92  and  94  located thereon for engaging the positive and negative terminals of one of the terminal caps  52  or  58  of the battery case C held within the central housing  72 . In the flashlight  70  the battery case C has a white or other colored reflective material.  
      Preferably, lens cap  80  includes a reflective surface at the retaining lip  82  which is beveled or canted to reflect a portion of the forward light beam back into the light transmissive plastic material forming the housing  72  thus illuminating the housing  72  and providing 360° light simultaneously with a beam of light through lens  84 .  
      A conical reflective lens  100  may be stored at end portion  76 . When 360° light is desired, the end portion  76  may be attached to replace end portion  74  so that light emitted from the light emitting diodes is reflected back into the housing  72 . Reflector  86  and lens  100  combine to direct the majority of the lumens produced by the LEDs back into the light transmissive plastic material resulting in light emanating from the housing  72  in 360°.  
      Emergency personnel as well as police commonly use conventional flashlights having a colored extension tube when directing traffic at night. Therefore, flashlight  70  may include a wand  102  shown in  FIG. 9  attached in place of end portion  76  when end portion  76  has been relocated to replace end portion  74  to provide an illuminated wand  102  and flashlight  70 .  
      End  76  may also contain additional light emitting diodes  104  in electrical contact with the positive and negative terminals of battery case C.  
      To operate the flashlight  70  ends  74  and  76  are screwed down tight to central housing  72  so that terminal engaging rings  92  and  94  contact the positive and negative terminals of one of the terminal end caps  52  or  58 . When ends  74  and  76  are slightly unscrewed, spring  104  pushes the substrate  90  away from battery case C and continuity of the circuit is broken and the light emitting diodes  88  turn off.  
      Battery case C includes a flange  106  which engages with a receiving slot  108  in the central housing  72  to lock the battery case C in position.  
      While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the present invention pertains and as maybe applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.