Umbrella with two-way flashlight

• US 5,280,799 A
• Filed: 01/11/1993
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip M. Alajajian
• Original Assignee: Philip M. Alajajian
• Inventors: Alajajian, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, LANNA
• Application Number:
  US08/002,630
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 135/65, 135/910, 135/66, 135/16, 135/15.1, 135/25.4, 135/25.41, 362/102, 362/32
• US Class Current: 135/16
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella

Abstract

An umbrella that when folded functions as a conventional flashlight, and when opened functions as an umbrella with a two-way flashlight handle. The flashlight handle contains two lamps/reflectors. One is located in the side of the umbrella handle. The other is positioned in the base of the handle. The handle also serves as a battery compartment for a plurality of "AA" size batteries. The lamp/reflector at the base of said handle is intended to produce the illuminating power of a conventional flashlight. The lamp/reflector at the side of said handle is intended to provide illumination for the forward path of the umbrella user when the umbrella is fully extended. The side lamp/reflector is positioned to direct light onto the forward path of the user when the handle is held vertically. Either lamp may be activated at a time via a two-way switch, located on side of said handle, when said umbrella is either folded or fully extended. With the umbrella opened and the handle held vertically, activation of the side lamp provides the user lighting to his forward path while activation of the lower lamp illuminates the ground near the user'"'"'s feet. With the umbrella folded and held horizontally, only the base lamp is normally activated for operation consistent with that of a conventional flashlight.

Claims

1. An umbrella comprising

an umbrella segment having an umbrella shaft, said shaft having a lower end;

a handle segment having a central axis, a top, a front side, a back side, a lower section and a base, wherein said base includes a threaded compartment cover,

said handle segment is further comprised of a switch located on said back side in close proximity to said top;

said switch having a copper strip

said handle segment further including a first lamp system located at said base and is integral with said threaded compartment cover;

said first lamp system functioning as a flashlight;

said handle segment including a second lamp system positioned on said front side of said handle segment near said top;

said second lamp system containing a lens system the plane of which is inclined approximately twenty degrees relative to said central axis to provide forward and downward illumination when said handle segment is in the upright position;

Each of said first and second lamp systems including a parabolic reflector, a lens, a bulb, a metal ground collar, and a hollow plastic plug;

wherein said bulb comprises a tip and a metal ground casing said reflector having a rear;

said tip constituting a positive contact for each said lamp system;

said metal ground casing connecting electrically and mechanically to said metal ground collar by means of said plastic plug fitted onto the rear of said reflector;

said metal ground collar constituting a negative contact for each said lamp system;

said positive contact of each said lamp system engages said umbrella shaft to obtain current;

said negative contact of each said lamp system engages said copper strip to obtain current;

2. An umbrella according to claim 1 further comprising a battery compartment positioned in said handle segment;

said battery compartment having a plurality of batteries, wherein each of said batteries includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

said batteries are connected together in series fashion to form a composite power source with a positive terminal and a negative terminal;

wherein the positive and negative terminals of said composite power source are located at the top of said battery compartment;

said positive terminal connecting to said shaft of the umbrella by means of a copper strip;

said negative terminal connecting to said switch by means of a copper strip;

said battery compartment further including a cover contacting the tip of said first lamp system, whereby said cover serves to hold said batteries in place and to support said shaft of the umbrella and to establish the series connection of said batteries.

3. An umbrella according to claim 2 further comprising an umbrella connecting mechanism positioned at said top of said handle segment;

said connecting mechanism consisting of a cylindrical molded cavity surrounded by radial supports;

said lower end of said shaft being received in said molded cavity and secured to said handle segment by a first securing means whereby said shaft extending through said battery compartment and being secured by a second securing means at said shaft lower end provides electrical contact to said tip of first lamp system.

4. An umbrella according to claim 1 wherein said switch includes three positions of operation and being positioned close to said top of handle segment and adjacent to said second lamp system.

5. An umbrella according to claim 4 comprising parallel wiring for connecting said lamp systems to said batteries and said switch.

6. An umbrella according to claim 2 further comprising a battery compartment positioned in the lower section of said handle segment;

said battery compartment further containing a spool-shaped removable battery module formed from molded plastic;

said module having a top section, a bottom section, a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a center;

each of said top and bottom sections having a center;

said module having a metal socket molded into the center of the module top section, and a metal tip molded into a center of the bottom section;

said module accommodating a plurality of batteries;

wherein said batterymodule being wired internally in series to form a power source;

said positive and negative terminals of said battery module locating beneath the top section of said module;

said battery module further having an insulated metal wire through said center to establish a positively charged electrical connection with said first lamp system;

said batteries are positioned symmetrically about said metal wire, wherein said metal wire connecting to said metal tip;

said metal socket being wired to the positive terminal of said battery module;

said metal socket engaging the base end of said centerpost of the umbrella to establish electrical and mechanical contacts between said centerpost and said socket;

said metal tip establishing contact with the positive contact of said first lamp system;

the negative terminal of said battery module connecting to a metal plug mounted on said top section of said battery module;

said plug establishing electrical contact with said copper strip by plugging into a socket connecting said copper strip;

said switch being a two-way switch comprising a lower tap and a center tap wherein said cooper strip forming a center tap of said switch;

a metal conductor extending the entire length of said battery module along on side terminating in a metal plug mounted on said top section which makes electrical contact with said lower tap of said two-way switch at the module top section by plugging into said socket;

the tip of said conductor makes both electrical and mechanical contacts with the negative contact of said first lamp system, wherein said first lamp system locating beneath and resting against said battery module.

7. An umbrella according to claim 6 further comprising an umbrella connecting mechanism positioned at said top of said handle segment;

said connecting mechanism consisting of a cylindrical molded cavity surrounded by radial supports;

said lower end of said shaft being received in said molded cavity and secured to said handle segment by a first securing means whereby said shaft extends through top segment of handle being secured by a second securing means and terminating into a metal socket contained within said battery module;

said shaft provides electrical contact to tip of said second lamp system.