Peripherally sealed card-like flashlight device

• US 5,457,613 A
• Filed: 06/08/1994
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lumatec Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lumatec Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Vandenbelt, Rudy, Altman, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEYMAN, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US08/255,396
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 362/205, 362/200, 362/201
• US Class Current: 362/200
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements

Abstract

A peripherally sealed card-like flashlight device includes an inner light generating module, a middle folded card insert, and an outer peripherally sealed protective cover. The inner module includes a flat battery pack, a lamp having a light emitting element and a pair of conductive lead elements extending therefrom, and an electrical switch assembly attached on the flat battery pack. Strips of metallic tape are used to electrically connect one of the lead elements to one electrically conductive portion of the flat battery pack and to position the other of the lead elements over an aperture through the switch assembly and overlying and spaced from another electrically conductive portion of the flat battery pack. The switch assembly is operable for making and breaking an electrical circuit between the flat battery pack and lead elements of the lamp by applying and releasing pressure on and from a region of the outer protective cover overlying the aperture of the switch assembly of the inner light generating module.

Claims

1. A sealed card-like flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having a pair of opposite faces and means for generating light;

(b) a middle card insert extending over and substantially overlying said opposite faces of said inner light generating module; and

(c) an outer protective cover formed of a pair of flat planar sheets of plastic material aligned with one another at and sealably connected to one another about continuous peripheral regions thereof so as to provide said pair of sheets of said outer protective cover in a generally flat sleeve-like configuration completely surrounding and hermetically sealing and encasing said middle insert and said inner light generating module therein.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said inner light generating module includes:

a flat battery pack; and

a lamp having a light element and a pair of conductive lead elements extending therefrom; and

means for electrically coupling said lead elements of said lamp to said flat battery pack.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said means for electronically coupling includes a first electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connecting one of said lead elements to a first electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said means for electronically coupling also includes a switch assembly attached to a second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack being spaced from said first electrically conductive portion thereof, said switch assembly being operable for making and breaking an electrical circuit between said flat battery pack and said lead elements of said lamp by applying and releasing pressure on and from a region of said outer protective cover overlying said switch assembly.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said switch assembly includes:

an electrically non-conductive switch pad attached about said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said switch pad having an aperture defined therethrough encompassing said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack; and

a second electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connected with the other of said lead elements and supporting said other lead element across said aperture of said switch pad and spaced from said second electrically conductive portion encompassed by said aperture.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said flat planar sheets of said outer protective cover are transparent.

6. A sealed card-like flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having a pair of opposite faces and means for generating light;

(b) a middle card insert extending over and substantially overlying said opposite faces of said inner light generating module; and

(c) an outer protective cover having a periphery sealed about and hermetically encasing said middle insert and said inner light generating module and being sealed;

(d) said inner light generating module including a flat battery pack, a lamp having a light element and a pair of conductive lead elements extending therefrom, and means for electrically coupling said lead elements of said lamp to said flat battery pack;

(e) said coupling means including a first electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connecting one of said lead elements to a first electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said coupling means also including a switch assembly attached to a second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack being spaced from said first electrically conductive portion thereof, said switch assembly being operable for making and breaking an electrical circuit between said flat battery pack and said lead elements of said lamp by applying and releasing pressure on and from a region of said outer protective cover overlying said switch assembly;

(f) said switch assembly including an electrically non-conductive switch pad attached about said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said switch pad having an aperture defined therethrough encompassing said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said switch assembly also including a second electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connected with the other of said lead elements and supporting said other lead element across said aperture of said switch pad and spaced from said second electrically conductive portion encompassed by said aperture;

(g) said switch pad being a thin annular body of electrically non-conductive material defining said central aperture and having a pair of opposite faces, said annular body being attached on one of said faces thereof to said flat battery pack.

7. A sealed card-like flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having a pair of opposite faces and means for generating light;

(b) a middle card insert extending over and substantially overlying said opposite faces of said inner light generating module; and

(c) an outer protective cover having a periphery sealed about and hermetically encasing said middle insert and said inner light generating module and being sealed;

(d) said inner light generating module including a flat battery pack, a lamp having a light element and a pair of conductive lead elements extending therefrom, and means for electrically coupling said lead elements of said lamp to said flat battery pack;

(e) said coupling means including a first electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connecting one of said lead elements to a first electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said coupling means also including a switch assembly attached to a second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack being spaced from said first electrically conductive portion thereof, said switch assembly being operable for making and breaking an electrical circuit between said flat battery pack and said lead elements of said lamp by applying and releasing pressure on and from a region of said outer protective cover overlying said switch assembly;

(f) said switch assembly including an electrically non-conductive switch pad attached about said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said switch pad having an aperture defined therethrough encompassing said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said switch assembly also including a second electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connected with the other of said lead elements and supporting said other lead element across said aperture of said switch pad and spaced from said second electrically conductive portion encompassed by said aperture;

(g) said first and second electrically conductive members being strips of electrically conductive metallic tape having an adhesive coating on one side thereof for adhering said strips of metallic tape respective to surfaces of said flat battery pack and said switch pad.

8. A sealed card-like flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having a pair of opposite faces and means for generating light;

(b) a middle card insert extending over and substantially overlying said opposite faces of said inner light generating module; and

(c) an outer protective cover having a periphery sealed about and hermetically encasing said middle insert and said inner light generating module and being sealed;

(d) said middle card insert including a flat sheet of material having a middle transverse fold line permitting the insert to be folded in half and a central opening defined through said flat sheet along said middle transverse fold line so as to define an opening aligned with said light generating means of said inner light generating module.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein an exterior face of said middle card insert is imprinted with a media displaying information to a user of the device.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said middle insert card substantially covers said inner light generating module.

12. A sealed card-like flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having a pair of opposite faces and including a flat battery pack, a switch assembly, and a light emitting lamp;

(b) a middle card insert having a middle fold line providing said insert in a folded condition and extending over and substantially overlying said opposite faces of said inner light generating module, said insert having an opening defined therein along said middle fold line; and

(c) an outer flat sleeve-like protective cover having a periphery sealed about and hermetically encasing said middle insert and said inner light generating module.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said lamp has a light element and a pair of conductive lead elements extending therefrom.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein:

said inner module also includes a first electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connecting one of said lead elements to a first electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack; and

a switch assembly is attached to a second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack being spaced from said first electrically conductive portion thereof, said switch assembly being operable for making and breaking an electrical circuit between said flat battery pack and said lead elements of said lamp by applying and releasing pressure on and from a region of said outer protective cover overlying said switch assembly.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said switch assembly includes:

an electrically non-conductive switch pad attached about said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack, said switch pad having an aperture defined therethrough encompassing said second electrically conductive portion of said flat battery pack; and

a second electrically conductive member overlying and electrically connected with the other of said lead elements and supporting said other lead element across said aperture of said switch pad and spaced from said second electrically conductive portion encompassed by said aperture.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said switch pad is a thin annular body of electrically non-conductive material defining said central aperture and having a pair of opposite faces, said annular body being attached on one of said faces thereof to said flat battery pack.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said first and second electrically conductive members are strips of electrically conductive metallic tape having an adhesive coating on one side thereof for adhering said strips of metallic tape respective to surfaces of said flat battery pack and said switch pad.

18. The device of claim 12 wherein an exterior face of said middle card insert is imprinted with a media displaying information to a user of the device.

19. The device of claim 12 wherein said middle insert card substantially covers said inner light generating module.

20. The device of claim 12 wherein said outer protective cover is a pair of flat sheets of transparent plastic material being sealed to one another about continuous peripheral regions thereof.