Underwater LED flashlight, underwater LED flashlight system, and method of making an underwater flashlight

• US 20080130268A1
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Friedel, John D. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Daniel Friedel, John D. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, John D., Friedel, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,520,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/103
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0885 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0965 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0008 Clothing or clothing accessories, e.g. scarfs, gloves or belts
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A flashlight is provided comprising a LED illumination source, a power source electrically coupled to said LED illumination source, and a solid body encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of the LED illumination source. The invention further includes an underwater illumination system comprising a glove having an interior, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and an underwater flashlight comprising a LED illumination source, a power source electrically coupled to the LED illumination source, a solid body encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of the LED illumination source, and a securing member for connecting the underwater flashlight to said glove. A method for making an underwater, pressure-resistant LED flashlight is provided for making an encapsulating solid body for the elements providing illumination.

Claims

1. A flashlight comprising:

a LED illumination source disposed;

a power source electrically coupled to said LED illumination source; and

a solid body encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of the LED illumination source.

2. The flashlight of claim 1 further comprising the solid body having a bottom portion including a substantially contoured shape and a securing member for securing said flashlight over a hand of a user.

3. The flashlight of claim 2 wherein said securing member further comprises a bottom sled and a mounting member, wherein said sled member and said mounting member are shaped and configured to releasably mate with one another, and wherein said flashlight releasably connects to said mounting member.

4. The flashlight of claim 3 wherein said bottom sled includes at least one embossment which mates with a corresponding aperture in said mounting member.

5. The flashlight of claim 3 wherein said mounting member includes at least two clip members for maintaining said flashlight on a top portion of said mounting member and between said clip members.

6. The flashlight of claim 3 wherein said securing member further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnet, an elastic material, ties, and straps.

7. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein said power source is an inductively rechargeable power source.

8. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein said solid body further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, wax, polyester resin, epoxy resin, or silicone material.

9. The flashlight of claim 8 wherein said solid body further comprises a silicone rubber material.

10. An underwater illumination system comprising

a glove having an interior, an inner surface, and an outer surface;

an underwater flashlight including

a LED illumination source;

a power source electrically coupled to said LED illumination source;

a solid body encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of the LED illumination source; and

a securing member for connecting said underwater flashlight to said glove.

11. The underwater illumination system of claim 10 wherein said flashlight is detachably connected to said glove.

12. The underwater illumination system of claim 10 wherein said securing member further comprises a bottom sled and a mounted member, wherein said bottom sled and said mounting member releasably mate into a mounted position wherein said bottom sled and said mounting member are in a fixed position relative to said glove.

13. The underwater illumination system of claim 12 wherein the bottom sled is disposed within the interior of the glove and abuts a portion of the inner surface of the glove when in the mounted position, and wherein said mounted member is disposed over a portion of the outer surface of said glove in said mounting position.

14. The flashlight of claim 13 wherein said bottom sled includes at least one embossment which mates with a corresponding aperture in said mounting member such that an intervening portion of said glove is maintained between said bottom sled and said mounting member when said bottom sled and said mounting member are mated with one another.

15. The flashlight of claim 12 wherein said mounting member includes at least two clip members for maintaining said flashlight over a top portion of said mounting member and between said clip members.

16. The flashlight of claim 10 wherein said securing member comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a magnet, an elastic material, ties, and straps.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of forming a flashlight precursor body by encapsulating the power source and at least a portion of said LED illumination source within an encapsulation material comprises encapsulating with a urethane rubber material.

17. A method of making an underwater LED flashlight comprising:

providing a LED illumination light source;

electrically connecting the LED illumination light source to a power source;

forming a flashlight precursor body by encapsulating the LED illumination source and at least a portion of the power source within an encapsulation material; and

curing said encapsulation material to form a solid flashlight body.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of forming a flashlight precursor body further comprises providing a housing having an internal cavity, disposing the LED illumination source and power source within the internal cavity, and injecting the encapsulation material within the internal cavity of the housing.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of forming a flashlight precursor body further comprises placing said power source at least portion of said LED illumination source within a mold having a cavity and adding an encapsulation material to the cavity of the mold, and after the step of curing, removing one of said mold and said solid flashlight body from the other of said mold and flashlight body.