Multipurpose flashlight

• US 4,881,155 A
• Filed: 02/07/1989
• Issued: 11/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William L. Gahagan
• Original Assignee: William L. Gahagan
• Inventors: Gahagan, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US07/307,756
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 362/109, 362/191, 362/200, 362/205, 362/208, 362/396, 362/398
• US Class Current: 362/191
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0965 for portable lighting devices

Abstract

A multipurpose safety and utility flashlight having a clip by which it can be attached to the user, and having an outwardly extending flashlight bulb which projects a hemispherical beam pattern. The clip and the flashlight bulb are located on opposite sides of the flashlight, so that when the flashlight is worn at the side of the user, the hemispherical beam pattern illuminates objects ahead of, above, behind, to the side of and at the feet of the user. In addition, the hemispherical beam pattern projects light ahead of, above, behind, and to one side of said user to make said user easily visible to others in all of those directions. The flashlight may also include a pair of magnets, one on each side of the flashlight. One magnet is suitable for magnetically mounting the flashlight to any suitable surface so the light from the flashlight shines on a work surface, while the other magnet is suitable for magnetically holding tools and parts, such as nuts, bolts and washers.

Claims

1. A multipurpose flashlight comprising:

a flashlight bulb;

a housing means;

wherein said housing means further includes a flashlight bulb socket means for mounting said flashlight bulb; and

wherein said housing means defines an internal compartment that is sized and shaped to be adapted to receive at least one battery;

an electrical switch means mounted to said housing means; and

electrical circuit means for electrically connecting said flashlight bulb, said at least one battery and said switch means to enable said at least one battery to supply electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is on and to prevent said at least one battery from supplying electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is off;

wherein said flashlight further comprises first and second magnets;

wherein said first magnet is secured to a first magnet side of said housing means;

wherein said second magnet is secured to a second magnet side of said housing means;

wherein said first magnet has a strength that is sufficient to be adapted to magnetically fasten said flashlight in any orientation to a magnetically responsive surface to help permit a user to aim light emitted from said flashlight on a work surface; and

wherein said second magnet is secured to said second magnet side of said housing means to help permit said user to more conveniently use said second magnet to magnetically hold objects for said user.

2. The flashlight according to claim 1, wherein said first magnet side and said second magnet side are located generally opposite from each other on said housing means.

3. The flashlight according to claim 1, wherein both said flashlight bulb and said second magnet are located on said second magnet side.

4. The flashlight according to claim 3, wherein said flashlight bulb socket means extends outwardly from second magnet side of said housing means to permit light from said flashlight bulb to be projected directly onto at least part of said second magnet, to help illuminate said second magnet to permit said user to see any said objects that are magnetically held by said second magnet.

5. The flashlight according to claim 1, wherein said housing means and said socket means are sized and shaped to not obstruct said flashlight bulb from radiating an at least generally hemispherical light beam pattern outwardly from said flashlight;

wherein said housing means further comprises a securing means for releasably securing said flashlight to a user;

wherein said securing means is located on said first side of said housing means;

wherein said flashlight bulb is located on said second side of said housing means; and

wherein said securing means and said flashlight bulb are located and oriented on their respective said first and second sides in such a way to enable said hemispherical light beam pattern to be generally projected from one side of said user when said flashlight is secured by said securing means to said one side of said user, to enable said flashlight to illuminate objects in front of, above, behind, to one side of, and at the feet of said user, and to enable said flashlight to project light ahead of, above, behind, and to one side of said user to make said user easily visible to others in all of those directions.

6. The flashlight according to claim 5, wherein said flashlight bulb socket means is not movable with respect to said second side of said housing means;

and wherein said flashlight bulb socket means extends outwardly from said second side of said housing means to help enable said hemispherical light beam pattern to not be obstructed by said housing means.

7. The flashlight according to claim 5, wherein said flashlight bulb has a glass envelope;

and wherein said glass envelope includes a lens means tat is located and oriented to focus light emitted from said flashlight bulb in a concentrated side beam pattern that is projected to said one side of said user to make said user more visible to vehicles approaching said user from said one side of said user.

8. The flashlight according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of an external surface of said housing means has reflective material means located on said housing means for reflecting light from the headlights of vehicles to help make said user visible to drivers of said vehicles.

9. A multipurpose flashlight comprising:

a flashlight bulb;

a housing means;

wherein said housing means includes a securing means for releasably securing said flashlight to a user;

wherein said housing means further includes a flashlight bulb socket means for mounting said flashlight bulb; and

wherein said housing means defines an internal compartment that is sized and shaped to be adapted to receive at least one battery;

an electrical switch means mounted to said housing means; and

electrical circuit means for electrically connecting said flashlight bulb, said at least one battery and said switch means to enable said at least one battery to supply electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is on and to prevent said at least one battery from supplying electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is off;

wherein said housing means and said socket means are sized and shaped to not obstruct said flashlight bulb from radiating an at least generally hemispherical light beam pattern outwardly from said flashlight;

wherein said securing means is located on a first side of said housing means;

wherein said flashlight bulb is located on a second side of said housing means;

wherein said first and second sides are located on said housing means at least generally opposite each other;

wherein said securing means and said flashlight bulb are located and oriented on their respective said first and second sides in such a way to enable said hemispherical light beam pattern to be generally projected from one side of said user when said flashlight is secured by said securing means to said one side of said user, to enable said flashlight to illuminate objects in front of, above, behind, to one side of, and at the feet of said user, and to enable said flashlight to project light ahead of, above, behind, and to one side of said user to make said user easily visible to others in all of those directions;

wherein said flashlight bulb socket means is not movable with respect to said second side of said housing means; and

wherein said flashlight bulb socket means extends outwardly from said second side of said housing means to help enable said hemispherical light beam pattern to not be obstructed by said housing means.

10. The flashlight according to claim 9, wherein at least a portion of an external surface of said housing means has reflective material means located on said housing means for reflecting light from the headlights of vehicles to help make said user visible to drivers of said vehicles.

11. A multipurpose flashlight comprising:

a flashlight bulb;

a housing means;

wherein said housing means includes a securing means for releasably securing said flashlight to a user;

wherein said housing means further includes a flashlight bulb socket means for mounting said flashlight bulb; and

wherein said housing means defines an internal compartment that is sized and shaped to be adapted to receive at least one battery;

an electrical switch means mounted to said housing means; and

electrical circuit means for electrically connecting said flashlight bulb, said at least one battery and said switch means to enable said at least one battery to supply electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is on and to prevent said at least one battery from supplying electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is off;

wherein said housing means and said socket means are sized and shaped to not obstruct said flashlight bulb from radiating an at least generally hemispherical light beam pattern outwardly from said flashlight;

wherein said securing means is located on a first side of said housing means;

wherein said flashlight bulb is located on a second side of said housing means;

wherein said first and second side are located on said housing means at least generally opposite each other; and

wherein said securing means and said flashlight bulb are located and oriented on their respective said first and second sides in such a way to enable said hemispherical light beam pattern to be generally projected from one side of said user when said flashlight is secured by said securing means to said one side of said user, to enable said flashlight to illuminate objects in front of, above, behind, to one side of, and at the feet of said user, and to enable said flashlight to project light ahead of, above, behind, and to one side of said user to make said user easily visible to others in all of those directions;

wherein said flashlight bulb has a glass envelope; and

wherein said glass envelope includes a lens means that is located and oriented to form light emitted from said flashlight bulb in a concentrated side beam pattern that is projected to said one side of said user to make said user more visible to vehicles approaching said user from said one side of said user.

12. The flashlight according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of an external surface of said housing means has reflective material means located on said housing means for reflecting light from the headlights of vehicles to help make said user visible to drivers of said vehicles.

13. A multipurpose flashlight comprising:

a flashlight bulb;

a housing means;

wherein said housing means includes a securing means for releasably securing said flashlight to a user;

wherein said housing means further includes a flashlight bulb socket means for mounting said flashlight bulb; and

wherein said housing means defines an internal compartment that is sized and shaped to be adapted to receive at least one battery;

an electrical switch means mounted to said housing means; and

electrical circuit means for electrically connecting said flashlight bulb, said at least one battery and said switch means to enable said at least one battery to supply electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is one and to prevent said at least one battery from supplying electricity to said flashlight bulb when said switch means is off;

wherein said housing means and said socket means are sized and shaped to not obstruct said flashlight bulb from radiating an at least generally hemispherical light beam pattern outwardly from said flashlight;

wherein said securing means is located on a first side of said housing means;

wherein said flashlight bulb is located on a second side of said housing means;

wherein said first and second sides are located on said housing means at least generally opposite each other; and

wherein said securing means and said flashlight bulb are located and oriented on their respective said first and second sides in such a way to enable said hemispherical light beam patter to be generally projected from one side of said user when said flashlight is secured by said securing means to said one side of said user, to enable said flashlight to illuminate objects in front of, above, behind, to one side of, and at the feet of said user, and to enable said flashlight to project light ahead of, above, behind, and to one side of said user to make said user easily visible to others in all of those directions;

wherein said flashlight further comprises first and second magnets;

wherein said first magnet is secured to a first magnet side of said housing means;

wherein said first magnet has a strength that is sufficient to be adapted to magnetically fasten said flashlight in any orientation to a magnetically responsive surface to help permit said user to aim light emitted from said flashlight on a work surface; and

wherein said second magnet is secured to a second magnet side of said housing means, to help permit said user to more conveniently use said second magnet to magnetically hold objects for said user.

14. The flashlight according to claim 13, wherein said first magnet side and said second magnet side are located generally opposite from each other on said housing means.

15. The flashlight according to claim 13, wherein said second magnet side is the same as said second side

16. The flashlight according to claim 15, wherein said flashlight bulb socket means extends outwardly from second side of said housing means to permit light from said flashlight bulb to be projected directly onto at least part of said second magnet, to help illuminate said second magnet to permit said user to see any said objects that are magnetically held by said second magnet.