Patent ID: 8258416

Claim:
An electrical flashlight comprising: a housing having a head end and a tail end and having a cavity for receiving a battery; an electrical light source disposed proximate the head end of said housing; and a switch disposed on said housing for providing two switch contacts, wherein said switch includes an electrically conductive flexible dome having a plurality of relatively longer legs extending from a dome portion thereof, a relatively shorter leg extending from the dome portion thereof, wherein the relatively shorter leg of said flexible dome closes a first normally open switch contact of the two switch contacts when said flexible dome is pressed with a first actuation force, and wherein the dome portion of said flexible dome closes a second normally open switch contact of the two switch contacts when said first flexible dome is pressed with a second actuation force; wherein said switch includes a base having at least first and second peripheral electrical conductors and a central electrical conductor thereon; wherein said electrically conductive flexible dome is disposed on said base, and wherein the plurality of relatively longer legs extending from a dome portion of said electrically conductive flexible dome are in electrical contact with the first peripheral electrical conductor, wherein the relatively shorter leg extending from the dome portion of said electrically conductive flexible dome overlies the second peripheral electrical conductor, and wherein the dome portion of said flexible dome overlies the central electrical conductor; wherein said light source is responsive to closure, or opening, or both, of the two switch contacts of said switch for selectively energizing and de-energizing said electrical light source when the battery is present in the cavity of said housing, and whereby said electrical light source of said flashlight may be selectively energized and de-energized responsive to said switch.