Combination flashlight and auxiliary power pack

• US 4,409,645 A
• Filed: 10/09/1981
• Issued: 10/11/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francis J. Sloan
• Original Assignee: Francis J. Sloan
• Inventors: Sloan, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lechert, Jr., Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US06/310,287
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 60/200, 362/184, 362/190, 362/191, 362/200, 362/208, 362/157, 362/457, 362/253, 362/362
• US Class Current: 362/200
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 2/00 Systems of electric lighting devices systems employing both electric and non-electric light sources or exchangeable light sources F21L27/00

Abstract

An auxiliary power pack and/or flashlight which accommodates spent instant photography film cartridges which include a substantially flat battery. A battery and electrical carrier subassembly is accommodated within a housing which serves as a covering shell and does not have depending therefrom any of the components of the device.

Claims

1. A power pack for accommodating therein at least one battery comprising:

a housing forming a chamber therein;

a carrier for insertion in said chamber;

electrical contact means mounted on said carrier for operably electrically contacting the terminals of said at least one battery; and

electrical connector means mounted on said carrier, said electrical connector means being electrically coupled to said contact means and being accessible from the exterior of said housing when said carrier is disposed in said housing chamber.

2. A power pack in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a mouth opening into said chamber and being dimensioned to accept therethrough said carrier and said at least one battery, said housing further comprising means for selectively covering said mouth.

3. A power pack in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for selectively securing said carrier in said housing.

4. A power pack in accordance with claim 1, wherein said carrier is configured to accommodate one battery, said battery being of a substantially flat type.

5. A power pack in accordance with claim 4, wherein said battery provides flat friction engageable contacts, said electrical contact means comprising a pair of flexible conductive elements fixedly secured to said carrier and for engaging said friction engageable contacts of said at least one battery, insertion of said battery and said carrier in said chamber of said housing forcing said battery against said carrier to effect contact of said flexible conductive elements and said friction engageable contacts of said battery.

6. A power pack in accordance with claim 1, wherein said carrier and said housing chamber are configured to accommodate a plurality of batteries, each of said batteries providing flat friction engageable contacts, said electrical contact means comprising a pair of flexible conductive elements each configured to form a plurality of stacked surfaces for engaging said battery contacts so as to permit stacking of said batteries and simultaneous electrical contact between said battery contacts and said conductive elements.

7. A power pack in accordance with claim 1, further comprising illumination means mounted on said carrier and visible outside said housing, said illumination means being selectively coupleable to said electrical contact means.

8. A power pack in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one battery is mounted in a cartridge configured for also accommodating therein a plurality of photographic image rendering units, said housing chamber dimensioned to accommodate said cartridge, the shape of said carrier conforming substantially to the shape of said cartridge.

9. A flashlight adapted to be powered by at least one internally disposed battery comprising:

a housing forming therein a chamber;

a carrier for insertion in said chamber;

electrical contact means mounted on said carrier for operably electrically contacting the terminals of said at least one battery; and

electrical illumination means mounted on said carrier and being selectively electrically coupled to said electrical contact means, said electrical illumination means being visible from outside said housing when said carrier is inserted therein.

10. A flashlight in accordance with claim 9, wherein said housing comprises a mouth opening into said chamber and being dimensioned to accept therethrough said carrier and said at least one battery, said housing further comprising means for selectively covering said mouth.

11. A flashlight in accordance with claim 10, wherein said means for selectively covering said mouth comprises a hingedly affixed cover and means for selectively securing said cover over said mouth.

12. A flashlight in accordance with claim 9, further comprising means for selectively securing said carrier in said housing.

13. A flashlight in accordance with claim 12, wherein said selective securing means comprises a pin fixedly secured to said carrier and a complementary mating hole disposed in said housing, insertion of said carrier in said housing chamber causing said hole to capture said pin, insertion of said battery in said housing chamber locking said pin in said hole.

14. A flashlight in accordance with claim 9, wherein said carrier is configured to accommodate one battery, said battery being of a substantially flat type.

15. A flashlight in accordance with claim 14, wherein said battery provides flat friction engageable contacts, said electrical contact means comprising a pair of flexible conductive elements fixedly secured to said carrier and for engaging said friction engageable contacts of said at least one battery, insertion of said battery and said carrier in said chamber of said housing forcing said battery against said carrier to effect contact of said flexible conductive elements and said friction engageable contacts of said battery.

16. A flashlight in accordance with claim 9, wherein said carrier and said housing chamber are configured to accommodate a plurality of batteries, each of said batteries providing flat friction engageable contacts, said electrical contact means comprising a pair of flexible conductive elements each configured to form a plurality of stacked surfaces for engaging said battery contacts so as to permit stacking of said batteries and simultaneous electrical contact between said battery contacts and said conductive elements.

17. A flashlight in accordance with claim 9, wherein said electrical illumination means is selectively coupled to said electrical contact means by a switch.

18. A flashlight in accordance with claim 17, further comprising electrical connector means mounted on said carrier, said electrical connector means being selectively electrically coupled by said switch to said contact means and being accessible from the exterior of said housing when said carrier is disposed in said housing chamber.

19. A flashlight in accordance with claim 18, wherein said switch couples said connector to said contact means only when said switch is not coupling said electrical illumination means to said contact means.

20. A flashlight in accordance with claim 9, wherein said at least one battery is mounted in a cartridge configured for also accommodating therein a plurality of photographic image rendering units, said housing chamber dimensioned to accommodate said cartridge, the shape of said carrier conforming substantially to the shape of the cartridge.

21. A flashlight and auxiliary power pack for utilizing flat batteries disposed in cartridges configured for also accommodating therein a plurality of photographic image rendering units comprising:

a housing forming therein a chamber;

a carrier for insertion in said chamber, said carrier configured to conform substantially to said cartridge;

electrical contact means mounted on said carrier for operably electrically contacting the terminals of said battery when said cartridge is placed in said carrier;

electrical illumination means mounted on said carrier and being selectively electrically coupled to said electrical contact means, said electrical illumination means being visible from outside said housing when said carrier is inserted therein;

electrical connector means mounted on said carrier, said electrical connector means being selectively electrically coupled to said contact means and being accessible from the exterior of said housing when said carrier is disposed in said housing chamber; and

electrical switch means for selectively coupling said electrical illumination means and said electrical connector means to said electrical contact means.