Patent Publication Number: US-2006007676-A1

Title: Flashlight

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a flashlight, particularly to one provided with a base, a lamp unit, a cover and a 9V battery. The base has a through hole, and the lamp unit is secured on the base and consists of an electric circuit board and a plurality of LED and a switch fixed on the circuit board. Two terminals are fixed under the lower surface of the circuit board. The cover is closed over the base and the lamp unit. In using, the 9V battery combined with the lower side of the base, with its terminals extending through the through holes of the base and positioned in the contact condition with the terminals of the circuit board, and a user presses the switch for turning on the lamp unit, with the hand of the user holding the battery securely. Thus the flashlight of the invention can movably be used for shining, or placed at any location stationary for shining constantly that location only. If not used, the 9V battery can be taken off, and a key chain can string through the cover of the flashlight, with the flashlight functioning as a decoration worn on the neck or hung on a wall and convenient to carry around.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Conventional flashlights have been used simply as a shining apparatus, generally consisting of a lamp in a front head and a battery (or batteries) received in a rear portion of the body, and turned on and off by a switch. They are generally stored in a box or a tool case, not so handy for carrying around, so there have been produced some small-sized flashlights possible to hang on a key chain with keys. But this kind of flashlight is also used for shining only, with not so neat an appearance and with components of the flashlight possible to fall off owing to mutual bumping with keys on the chain.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention has been devised to offer a flashlight movably used for shining various locations or placed at a location stationary for shining that location only, and also used as a decoration possible to be worn and carried around or hung on a wall.  
      The feature of the invention is a base, a lamp unit arranged on the base and consisting of an electric circuit board and a plurality of LED and a switch. Two terminals are provided under the lower surface of the circuit board for connecting with those of a 9V battery. Further a cover is provided to close over the base and the lamp unit. 
    
    
     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 flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the flashlight in the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the flashlight under a used condition in the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the flashlight used as a decoration in the present invention; and,  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the flashlight with a transparent cover in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A preferred embodiment of a flashlight in the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , includes a base  1 , a lamp unit  2 , a cover  3  and a 9V battery.  
      The base  1  is preferably circular, having a recess  10  formed in an upper side, a projection  11  respectively at two opposite sides in the recess  10 , plural through holes  12  formed properly in the center portion, and an annular step  13  around an outer periphery.  
      The lamp unit  2  is arranged  1  in the recess  10  on the base  1 , consisting of an electric circuit board  20  and a plurality of LED  22  and a switch  23 . The electric circuit board  20  has two opposite holes  21  to correspond with the two projections  11  of the base  1 . The LED  22  are fixed on the circuit board  20 , and plural terminals  24  are provided under the lower surface of the circuit board  20  to correspond with the through holes  12  of the base  1 .  
      The cover  3  closes on the base  1  and the lamp unit  2 , provided with a lower annual edge  30  to fit securely on the annular step  13  of the base  1  and plural lamp holes  31  to respectively correspond with the LED  22 , a slot in a rear portion for the switch  23  to protrude out thereof, and a hang hole  33  formed in the front portion for hanging the flashlight on something.  
      The 9V battery is to be affixed with the lower side of the base  1 , having two terminals  40  on the upper surface to contact with the terminals  24  of the lamp unit  2  to supply the LED with electricity.  
      In assembling, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , firstly, the electric circuit board  20  is placed in the recess  10  of the base  1 , with the holes  21  respectively fitted in by the projections  11  of the base, and with the terminals  24  of the circuit board  20  extending out of the through holes  12  of the base  1 . Then the cover  3  is placed to cover on the base  1 , with the LED respectively facing and protruding up a little through the lamp holes  31  of the cover  3 , and with the switch  23  protruding out of the holes of the cover  3  for manually handled. Lastly, the 9V battery  4  is combined with the base  1 , with the terminals  40  respectively made to contact with the terminals  24  of the lamp unit  2 , finishing assembly of the flashlight in the invention.  
      In using, as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5  and  6 , a user manually holds the 9V battery as shown in  FIG. 4 , and then turns on the switch  23 , and can move the flashlight to shine a place wanted or places the flashlight any location stationary to shine it only. When the flashlight is not used for shining, but for decoration, the battery  4  is to be taken off the base  1 , and a necklace  5  or a neck chain can be used to string through the hang hole  33  of the cover  3  to wear it as a decoration as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
      Further, the cover  3  can be made transparent as shown in  FIG. 6  for the light of the LED  22  to shine through. In addition, the cover  3  may be made to have an intriguing shape such as any insects, animals or fruits, upgrading the value as a commodity.  
      The flashlight according to the invention has the following advantages.  
      1. Its assembly is quite easy and simple.  
      2. Its use is convenient: contacting connection of the terminals of the battery  4  with the terminals of the lamp unit  3  can permit the flashlight turned on and off for shining.  
      3. It can be held with a hand of a user gripping the battery  4  to shine any location or be placed at any location stationary to shine that location only, and also possible to be carried out and be used any time.  
      4. It can be strung through the hang hole of the base with a necklace or the like to wear it or hang it on a wall as a decoration.  
      5. The cover can be made into an intriguing shape such as any insects or animals to use it as a decoration while it is not used as a flashlight.  
      6. It has several functions, and the cover made with different shapes to arouse curiosity, beefing up its quality and the value as a commodity.  
      While the preferred embodiment of the invention has 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.