Electronically controlled multi-light flashlight

• US 20030117799A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gold Coral International Limited
• Original Assignee: Gold Coral International Limited
• Inventors: Shiu, Stephanie Wai Man
• Granted Patent: US 6,890,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/251
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/084 Head fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Provided is a flashlight that includes a plurality of light sources for providing a beam of light. Preferably, the light sources have different levels of power consumption, different brightnesses and/or different beam lengths. More preferably, the plurality of light sources includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED) and at least one incandescent lamp. A housing directs the beam of light and an integrated circuit controls illumination of the plurality of light sources, with a switch providing an input signal to the integrated circuit. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the switch is a pushbutton switch and the integrated circuit is a multi-state electronic device that changes state when the signal is input from the switch, with different states of the integrated circuit causing different combinations of the light sources to become illuminated.

Claims

1. A flashlight, comprising:

a plurality of light sources for providing a beam of light;

a housing for directing the beam of light;

an integrated circuit for controlling illumination of the plurality of light sources; and

a switch for providing an input signal to the integrated circuit.

2. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the light sources have different levels of power consumption.

3. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED) and at least one incandescent lamp.

4. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the switch is a pushbutton switch.

5. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is a multi-state electronic device that changes state when the signal is input from the switch, and wherein different states of the integrated circuit cause different combinations of the light sources to become illuminated.

6. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit cycles through a fixed number of states, one state each time the signal is received from the switch.

7. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit is a counter.

8. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the light sources is covered by a lens that does not cover at least one other of the light sources.

9. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the light sources include plural light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and an incandescent bulb, and wherein a lens covers all of the LEDs only.

10. A flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the switch is a three-position rocker switch.

11. A flashlight, comprising:

a flashlight body that is hand-sized;

plural light sources disposed within the flashlight body;

a switch disposed on the flashlight body; and

a multi-state electronic device that has plural states and is electrically coupled to the switch and to the plural light sources,

wherein the flashlight body is configured to direct light from the plural light sources,

wherein each activation of the switch causes the multi-state electronic device to advance to a next one of the plural states, and

wherein each of the plural states causes a different combination of the light sources to illuminate.

12. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein the multi-state electronic device is a counter having an output corresponding to each state.

13. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein repeated activations of the switch cause the multi-state electronic device to cycle through the plural states.

14. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein at least some of the light sources have different brightnesses.

15. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein the light sources comprise an incandescent lamp and a light-emitting diode.

16. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the light sources is covered by a lens that does not cover at least one other of the light sources.

17. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein the flashlight body is configured to direct light from the plural light sources in a single direction.

18. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein the switch is a pushbutton.

19. A flashlight according to claim 11, wherein the switch is a three-position rocker switch.

20. A flashlight according to claim 19, wherein depressing the switch to one side causes a characteristic of a resulting light beam to change in one direction and depressing the switch to an other side causes the characteristic of the resulting light beam to change in an opposite direction.