Abstract:
A flashlight holder and safety illumination indicator locator for selectively holding a flashlight with a visual guidance element integrated within. The safety flashlight holder includes a one-piece housing having a resilient flashlight body engagement bracket with independent gripping arms and a vertically spaced flashlight end engagement cup extending from the housing. A luminescent insert disk defines the visual locator providing safety access to the flashlight and orientation of the flashlight holder there within.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   This invention relates to flashlight holders that are used to temporarily hold and store flashlights for ease of use. Specifically, this invention is directed to self-illuminating safety flashlight holders that utilize a form of photo-luminescent material that have light storing and emitting properties after initial exposure to light energy in combination. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Prior art devices of this type have relied on a wide variety of designs to engage and hold flashlights, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,713,614, 4,220,304, 4,750,095, 6,033,080 and 6,039,297. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,614 a flashlight holder is disclosed that uses a magnetic engagement and retainment bracket extending from the body of the flashlight for magnetic registration with a corresponding receiving plate attached to a mounting wall surface. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,095 shows an auto lighting flashlight assembly and holder wherein a bracket is provided to selectively engage and hold a flashlight. A battery disconnect rod extends from the bracket and registerably engages through an opening in the special flashlight to mechanically separate the batteries when positioned within the holder to prevent discharge. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,080 an emergency light is disclosed utilizing chemiluminescent light sticks within a hinged wall holder. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,297 claims a handy flashlight holder wherein a cylindrical casing is secured to a wall surface or the like. The casing has select portions cut-away for access to the activation switch of a flashlight positioned within. A transverse support rod extends through on end of the cylinder defining an internal support element for the flashlight to rest when positioned therein. 
   Other prior art devices are well known within the art in which a flashlight can be mechanically engaged and held in a bracket for temporary storage and use. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An integral safety flashlight holder and locator device for temporarily retaining a flashlight in a prescribed location for ease of location and use. The safety flashlight holder and locator utilizes a one-piece design incorporating integral opposing resilient engagement armatures and open retainment enclosure support into which a corresponding flashlight is selectively positioned and retained. A luminescent safety locator disk indicates location of the holder and orientation of the flashlight removably held within for retrieval. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the flashlight holder locator of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged top plan view thereof; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged bottom plan thereof; and 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the flashlight holder locator assembly with a flashlight to be positioned within. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a safety flashlight holder and locator  10  can be seen having a main elongated body member  11  with oppositely disposed upper and lower ends  12  and  13  respectively defining a generally rectangular configuration. A pair of oppositely disposed resilient engagement arms  14  and  15  extend from the body member  11  inwardly from the upper end  12 . The engagement arms  14  and  15  are each of a rectangular configuration extending longitudinally from the surface  25  of the body member  11  on each side of an opening at  16  defined therebetween. The engagement arms  14  and  15  have tapered ends  14 A,  14 B,  15 A and  15 B. The arms  14  and  15  are of uniform thickness from the body member  11  with respective elongated longitudinally integral retainment lug portions  17 A and  17 B thereon. The retainment lug portions  17 A and  17 B will impart resilient deflection to the arms during use as will be described in detail hereinafter. 
   An orientation flange  18  extends integrally from an arcuate edge surface  19  of the upper end  12  and has a corresponding arcuate perimeter edge surface as best seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
   The resilient retainment arms  14  and  15  are set inwardly of longitudinal edges  11 A and  11 B of the body member  11  defining respective adjacent textured areas  21  and  22  each with a plurality of aligned spaced protrusions  23  oriented in pairs thereon. 
   A flashlight receiving cup  24  extends integrally at right angles from the surface  25  of the main body member  11  and is in longitudinal spaced relation to said retainment arms  14  and  15 . The flashlight end receiving and support cup  24  defines a secondary opening in the main body member  11  at  26  with a base  27  having an integral upstanding continuous curvilinear wall  28  thereabout adjoining the main body member  11 . A free edge at  29  of the wall  28  is angularly disposed from the surface  25  as best seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. 
   It will be noted that the main body member  11 &#39;s surface  25  has an elongated portion at  30  which is transversely arcuately recessed in a concave fashion as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3  of the drawings and has a pair of mounting apertures A in respective annular concaved recesses  31 A and  31 B therein. 
   A luminescent element  32  is secured within an annular recess  33  in the main body member  11  extending from and conforming with the lower end  13  thereof. The annular recess at  33  extends across the main body member  11  adjacent the hereinbefore described receiving and support cup  24  as best seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
   The annular recess  33  has a pair of retainment tabs  32 A and  32 B for registration with the luminescent element  31  which accordingly has, in this example chosen for illustration, an annular flange at  32 C thereabout. 
   It will be evident from the above description that the luminescent element  32  with its annular flange  32 C is inserted into the recess  33  and resiliently engages and is retained under the respective tabs  32 A and  32 B. 
   The luminescent element  32  is preferably formed from a synthetic resin based material having enhanced luminescent properties that provides a prolonged afterglow of visible light after being exposed to light as is well known and available within the art. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5  of the drawings, the safety flashlight holder and locator  10  of the invention can be seen in an assembly with a flashlight  35  positioned in spaced relation thereto for insertion within. 
   It will be evident that the flashlight  35  has a battery containment barrel  36  and an integral enlarged illuminating head portion  37  and is of a physical dimension that the end of the barrel portion  36  will fit within the flashlight end receiving and support cup  24  and then registerably engaged between the resilient arms  14  and  15  which will resiliently yield and then return to securely hold the flashlight  35  longitudinally upright within the flashlight holder  10  of the invention assisted by the previously described recess portion  30  on the surface  25  of the main body member  11 . 
   The positioning of the annular luminescent element  32  within the corresponding recess  33  at the lower end at  13  thereof will provide a directional locator for the user (not shown) in the dark as well as act as a flashlight orientation device indicating that the flashlight  35  is in vertically aligned position within the holder for safe and quick removal and use as is required. 
   It will be evident that the safety flashlight holder and locator  10  of the invention is preferably molded of synthetic resin material in an integral one-piece configuration with the enhanced luminescent element  32  inserted within as hereinbefore described. 
   It will thus be seen that a new and novel safety flashlight holder and locator has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.