Twist-on/twist-off flashlight with shock-mounted bulb assembly and redundant off-switching, particularly for use at the tip of police batons

• US 5,309,337 A
• Filed: 07/21/1992
• Issued: 05/03/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven Groben
• Original Assignee: Steven Groben
• Inventors: Groben, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US07/918,848
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 362/206, 362/205, 362/203, 362/102, 362/202, 362/109, 362/188, 362/157, 200/60
• US Class Current: 362/206
• 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 19/00 Fastening of light sources or lamp holders fastening electric light source solely by the coupling device H01R33/00 ; special means for attaching candle to candle holder F21V35/003
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0064 Health, life-saving or fire-fighting equipment

Abstract

Two, redundant, electrical switches in electrical series between a flashlight'"'"'s battery and its bulb are simultaneously activated by an angular rotation between two sections of the flashlight'"'"'s case. To implement one of the switches the functions of (i) force biasing and (ii) electrical conduction between a battery'"'"'s terminal and the flashlight case are separated. Force biasing between battery and case transpires by a spring and washer which are, in combination, electrically non-conducting. Electrical conduction between battery and case transpires by another, separate, spring that is shorter than the force-biasing spring. Further, and independently, a removable and replaceable combination shock-mounted light bulb and reflector assembly includes (i) a wire-lead miniature light bulb of low inertial mass encapsulated within (ii) a shock-absorbing plastic matrix which is further sleeved in (iii) a strong metal which also presents a reflector surface precision aligned to the bulb. The entire assembly is easy to handle and exhibits superior (i) mechanical alignment, strength, and damage resistance, and (ii) electrical connectivity, when placed and replaced within a flashlight of complimentary construction.

Claims

1. In a flashlight having

a tubular case having two electrically-conducting sections which screw together until, the relative angular rotation between the two sections exceeding a predetermined first degree, the two sections are placed into electrical contact,

a light bulb, located within a first end portion of the two-section tubular case and having two terminals a first one of which is in continuous electrical contact with a first section of the two-section tubular case, for emitting light when energized,

a battery, located and moveable within an opposite end portion of the two-section tubular case and having two terminals, for supplying energy, and

spring means for (i) force biasing the battery for movement within the tubular case so that a first one of its two terminals is in continuous electrical contact with a second terminal of the light bulb, and f or (ii) electrically connecting the second terminal of the battery to the second section of the two-section tubular case,

wherein an angular rotation of the two sections exceeding the predetermined first degree places the two electrically-conducting sections of the tubular case into electrical contact, completing an electrical circuit from the battery second terminal to the case second section to the case first section to the light bulb first terminal through the light bulb to the light bulb second terminal bulb back to the battery first terminal and energizing the light bulb from the battery so that it emits light,

wherein angular rotation of the two sections relative to one another constitutes an electrical on/off switching of the flashlight, an improvement to the spring means comprising:

electrically-nonconducting means for force biasing the battery for movement within the tubular case so that a first one of its two terminals is in the continuous electrical contact with a second terminal of the light bulb; and

electrically-conducting means for electrically connecting the second terminal of the battery to the second section of the two-section tubular case only when the case'"'"'s two sections are angularly rotated relative to one another to greater than a predetermined second degree;

wherein the battery second terminal makes electrical contact with the case second section only when the case'"'"'s two sections are angularly rotated relative to one another to greater than the predetermined second degree;

wherein the electrical circuit is completed, and the light bulb energized so as to emit light, only when the case'"'"'s two sections are angularly rotated relative to one another to greater than the largest of the predetermined first degree and the predetermined second degree.

2. The improvement to the spring means of a flashlight according to claim 1 wherein the electrically-nonconducting means comprises:

a metal coil spring having ends and a longitudinal axis of rotation; and

an insulating washer concentric with the longitudinal axis of rotation of the metal coil spring, and located at one end of the metal coil spring.

3. The improvement to the spring means of a flashlight according to claim 1 wherein the electrically-conducting means, comprises:

an electrically conductive member affixed to, and electrically conductive with, a one of the battery and the second section of the tubular case at a position between them;

wherein the electrically conductive member extends across a gap between the battery and the second section of the tubular case the dimension of which gap is variable dependent upon the screwing together of the two sections of the tubular case;

wherein, by a magnitude of the extension of the electrically conductive member and of such remainder of the gap between the battery and the case as the member does not span, and by a diameter of the case and a pitch of a screwed engagement of the case'"'"'s two sections, the amount of said second degree of relative rotation between the two sections of the case is predetermined.

4. The flashlight according to claim 3 wherein the electrically conductive member comprises:

a coil spring.

5. The improvement to the spring means of a flashlight according to claim 1 wherein the electrically-conducting means comprises:

a coil spring.

6. The improvement to the spring means of a flashlight according to claim 1 wherein the tubular case comprises:

mounting means for removeably mounting the case to a baton.

7. A flashlight comprising:

a tubular case having two, a light bulb-end and a battery-end, electrically-conducting tubular sections threaded to each other so as to, by angular rotation relative to one another, screw into each other to a variable extent;

an electrically insulating means for electrically insulating the electrically-conducting light bulb-end section and the battery-end section from one another over the region of their threaded engagement;

an electrical connection means for, normally and in the absence of failure, electrically connecting the light bulb-end section to the battery-end section only upon such times as they are screwed together to a first predetermined extent, constituting by this action a first electrical switch;

a light bulb, capable of being energized by a battery, located within the light-bulb-end section of the tubular case;

a battery, suitable to energize the light bulb, located and longitudinally moveable within the battery-end section of the tubular case at a position that is, from, time to time, variously proximately to or distant from, and in respective electrical continuity or electrical non-continuity with, an interior butt end of said battery-end section of the tubular case dependent upon whether the light-bulb-end and battery-end sections of the tubular case are screwed together to, respectively, a greater or a lessor degree; and

an electrically non-conducting spring means, located within the battery-end section of the tubular case between its interior butt end and the battery, for force biasing the battery to physical separation from, and electrical non-continuity with, the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case;

an electrically conductive member affixed to, and electrically conductive with, a one of the battery and the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case at a position between them, the electrically conductive member extending across some of a variable gap between the battery and the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case;

wherein the battery makes electrical connection to the butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case through the electrically conductive member only upon such times as the light-bulb-end and battery-end sections of the tubular case are screwed together to a second extent, constituting by this action a second electrical switch;

wherein, dependent upon the magnitude of the extension of the electrically conductive member and of such remainder of the gap between the battery and the case as the member does not span, and further dependent upon a diameter of the case and a pitch of the threading engagement of the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case, the amount of said second extent of relative rotation between the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case as will actuate the second electrical switch is predetermined;

wherein there are two separate, the first and the second, electrical switches located in electrical series within an electrical path between the battery and the light bulb, both of which switches must respectively be closed by rotation of the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the tubular case relative to one another by a greater of the first predetermined extent and the second predetermined extent before, both switches being closed, the light bulb is energized from the battery.

8. The flashlight according to claim 7 wherein the spring means comprises:

a metal coil spring having ends and a longitudinal axis of rotation; and

an insulating washer concentric with the longitudinal axis of rotation of the metal coil spring, and located at one end of the metal coil spring.

9. The flashlight according to claim 7 wherein the electrically conductive member comprises:

a coil spring

10. The flashlight according to claim 9

wherein the metal coil spring has a longitudinal axis of rotation;

and wherein the spring means comprises;

another, second, metal coil spring having ends and a longitudinal axis of rotation coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the metal coil spring; and

an insulating washer concentric with the longitudinal axis of rotation of both metal coil springs, and located at one end of the second metal coil spring.

11. The flashlight according to claim 10 wherein the metal coil spring fits inside the coil of the second coil spring, which second coil spring is of a larger diameter than the coil spring.

12. The flashlight according to claim 7

wherein the electrically conductive member extends across approximately 1/4 inches of an approximate 3/8 inch maximum gap between the battery and the butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case, making thereby that the remainder of the gap equals approximately 1/8 inch.

13. The flashlight according to claim 12

wherein the diameter of the tubular case is approximately 1 inch, and the pitch of the threading engagement is approximately 10°

, making thereby that the approximate 1/8 inch remainder of the gap is taken up by approximately 360°

of angular rotation, or approximately one complete rotation, between the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case.

14. The flashlight according to claim 7

wherein the first predetermined extent equals the second angular extent within 90°

of angular rotation.

15. The flashlight according to claim 7 wherein the tubular case comprises:

mounting means for removeably mounting the case to a baton.

16. A method of electrically switching a battery power source to a light bulb within a flashlight, the flashlight on/off switching method comprising:

threading two, a light-bulb-end and a battery-end, electrically-conducting sections of a tubular flashlight case together so as to, by a manual rotation of the sections relative to one another, screw one section into the other to a variable extent;

electrically insulating the light-bulb-end section from the battery-end section in and during the course of their threaded engagement, making electrical connection between the two electrically-conducting sections only upon such times as they are screwed together to a first predetermined extent, constituting by this action a first electrical switching;

locating a light bulb, energized by a battery, within the light-bulb-end section of the tubular case;

locating a battery, suitable to energize the light bulb, in a longitudinally moveable position within the battery-end section of the tubular case, the battery assuming, from, time to time, a position variously proximate to or distant from, and in respective electrical continuity or electrical non-continuity with, a butt end of said battery-end section of the tubular case dependent upon whether the light-bulb-end and battery-end sections of the tubular case are screwed together to, respectively, a greater or a lessor degree; and

locating a spring within the battery-end section of the tubular flashlight case at a position between the battery and the butt end of the battery-section of the case, the spring being itself perpetually electrically non-conducting between the battery and any portion of the case under all conditions of compression or extension;

force biasing with the spring the battery to physical separation from, and electrical non-continuity with, the butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case;

affixing an electrically conductive member to, and in electrical conductivity with, a one of the battery and the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case at a position between them, the electrically conductive member so affixed extending across some of a variable gap between the battery and the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case;

wherein the battery makes electrical connection to the butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case through the electrically conductive member only upon such times as the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the tubular case are screwed together to a second extent, constituting by this action a second electrical switching;

wherein, dependent upon the extension of the electrically conductive member and the length of such remainder of the gap between the battery and the case as the member does not span, and further dependent upon a diameter of the case and a pitch of the threading engagement of the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case, the amount of said second extent of relative rotation between the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case as will actuate the second electrical switch is predetermined;

wherein the first and the second electrical switching transpires in electrical series in an electrical path between the battery and the light bulb;

wherein both the first and the second electrical switching must establish continuity responsively to a rotation of the light-bulb-end and the battery-end sections of the tubular case relative to one another each by an associated predetermined extent before the light bulb is energized from the battery.

17. A removable and replaceable light bulb assembly for a flashlight comprising:

a generally cylindrical light bulb having a light-emitting filament and a base from which two electrical wire leads extend;

a generally cylindrical first member of an electrically-insulating shock-absorbing material, the first member having and presenting

an interior cavity adapted and conformed for holding the light bulb with its filament exposed, and

a circumferential flange at one cylindrical end,

wherein one of the two wire leads of the light bulb is routed substantially centrally axially through the body of cylindrical member to a first exterior position substantially at a geometric center of that end of the member whereat exists the flange, thus permitting that a first external electrical contact may subsequently be made at this first position, and

wherein the remaining one of the two wire leads of the light bulb is routed substantially radially through the body of cylindrical member to an second exterior position substantially along an exterior annulus of the flange and on a side of the flange that is opposite to that side at which the first electrical contact may be made, thus permitting that a second electrical contact may subsequently be made at this second position; and

a generally cylindrical second member of an electrically-conducting rigid and strong material, the second member adapted and conformed for sliding over and the first member until it sleeves the first member in a position abutting the first member'"'"'s flange, the second member securely holding the first member with the filament of the light bulb exposed in a first axial direction, and with electrical connection to a wire lead of the light bulb at the second position;

wherein the light bulb held within the first member held within the second member constitute, collectively and in combination, a replaceable assembly for use in a flashlight.

18. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 17 wherein the generally cylindrical first member has and presents, as the defining structure of its cavity whereat is held the light bulb, a plurality of fingers separated by elongate longitudinal slots and longitudinally arrayed so as to embrace and hold the generally-cylindrical light bulb.

19. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 17 wherein plurality of fingers of the generally cylindrical first member comprise:

two fingers with concave curved surfaces disposed towards the held light bulb.

20. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 17 further comprising:

an electrically-conducting headed pin, substantially in the shape of a rivet, inserted within the first member at the site of its second exterior position substantially along an exterior annulus of the flange, making at this position the second electrical contact with the head of the pin disposed to the exterior of the first member;

wherein during use of the light bulb assembly within a flashlight electrical connection may be made to the head of the pin in lieu of the wire lead of the light bulb.

21. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 17 wherein the second member further has and defines a reflective surface radially around the filament of the light bulb that is held within the first member.

22. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 21 wherein the second member'"'"'s reflective surface is parabolic in cross section with the filament of the light bulb located at the focus of the parabola.

23. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 17 fitted within a flashlight case of complimentary physical and electrical configuration.

24. The light bulb assembly for a flashlight according to claim 23 wherein the flashlight case within which the light bulb assembly is fitted comprises:

mounting means for removeably mounting the case to a baton.

25. A flashlight comprising:

a tubular case having two, a light bulb-end and a battery-end, electrically-conducting tubular sections threaded to each other so as to, by angular rotation relative to one another, screw into each other to a variable extent;

an electrically insulating means for electrically insulating the electrically-conducting light bulb-end section and the battery-end section from one another over the region of their threaded engagement;

an electrical connection means for, normally and in the absence of failure, electrically connecting the light bulb-end section to the battery-end section only upon such times as they are screwed together to a first predetermined extent, constituting by this action a first electrical switch;

a removable and replaceable light bulb assembly. capable of being energized by a battery and located within the light-bulb-end section of the tubular case, the assembly including

a generally cylindrical light bulb having a light-emitting filament and a base from which two electrical wire leads extend;

a generally cylindrical first member of an electrically-insulating shock-absorbing material, the first member having and presenting

an interior cavity adapted and conformed for holding the light bulb with its filament exposed, and

a circumferential flange at one cylindrical end,

wherein one of the two wire leads of the light bulb is routed substantially centrally axially through the body of cylindrical member to a first exterior position substantially at a geometric center of that end of the member whereat exists the flange, thus permitting that a first external electrical contact may subsequently be made at this first position, and

wherein the remaining one of the two wire leads of the light bulb is routed substantially radially through the body of cylindrical member to an second exterior position substantially along an exterior annulus of the flange and on a side of the flange that is opposite to that side at which the first electrical contact may be made, thus permitting that a second electrical contact may subsequently be made at this second position; and

a generally cylindrical second member of an electrically-conducting rigid and strong material, the second member adapted and conformed for sliding over and the first member until it sleeves the first member in a position abutting the first member'"'"'s flange, the second member securely holding the first member with the filament of the light bulb exposed in a first axial direction, and with electrical connection to a wire lead of the light bulb at the second position;

wherein the light bulb held within the first member held within the second member constitute, collectively and in combination, a replaceable assembly;

a battery, suitable to energize the light bulb of the light-bulb assembly, located and longitudinally moveable within the battery-end section of the tubular case at a position that is, from, time to time, variously proximately to or distant from, and in respective electrical continuity or electrical non-continuity with, an interior butt end of said battery-end section of the tubular case dependent upon whether the light-bulb-end and battery-end sections of the tubular case are screwed together to, respectively, a greater or a lessor degree; and

an electrically non-conducting spring means, located within the battery-end section of the tubular case between its interior butt end and the battery, for force biasing the battery to physical separation from, and electrical non-continuity with, the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case;

an electrically conductive member affixed to, and electrically conductive with, a one of the battery and the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case at a position between them, the electrically conductive member extending across some of a variable gap between the battery and the interior butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case;

wherein the battery makes electrical connection to the butt end of the battery-end section of the tubular case through the electrically conductive member only upon such times as the light-bulb-end and battery-end sections of the tubular case are screwed together to a second, constituting by this action a second electrical switch;

wherein, dependent upon the extension of the electrically conductive member and the length of such remainder of the gap between the battery and the case as the member does not span, and further dependent upon a diameter of the case and a pitch of the threading engagement of the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case, the amount of said second extent of relative rotation between the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the case as will actuate the second electrical switch is predetermined;

wherein there are two separate, the first and the second, electrical switches located in electrical series within an electrical path between the battery and the light bulb, both of which switches must respectively be closed by rotation of the light-bulb-end section and the battery-end section of the tubular case relative to one another by a greater of the first predetermined extent and the second predetermined extent before, both switches being closed, the light bulb is energized from the battery.