High visibility flashlight

• US 5,752,761 A
• Filed: 02/22/1996
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc. (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc. (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Csont, Linda M., Kouba, Kevin W., Pietruczynik, Kris B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/605,352
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/157, 362/208, 362/202, 250/462.1, 252/301.35
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/02 produced by reflected light, e.g. matt surfaces, lustrous surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/08 characterised by colour effects
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/14 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements, reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/38 Combination of two or more photoluminescent elements of different materials

Abstract

This invention pertains to a flashlight body. Either the main body or at least one closure cap has a luminescent outer surface. The outer surface comprehends a luminescent colorant composition in the base material. At least 50% by weight, up to 100% by weight, of the colorant composition in the base material is luminescent. No more than 50% by weight, of the colorant composition comprises reflective colorant material. Thus, the flashlight body emits, in the visible spectrum, light radiation derived in part from the reflective colorant material and in part from the luminescent colorant material. Light emitted from the luminescent colorant adds to the intensity of the light reflected by the reflective colorant to provide total emitted light intensity, from the flashlight body, greater than the light intensity from a corresponding amount of the reflective colorant alone, and characteristic fluorescent glow.

Claims

1. A main body for a flashlight, said main body comprising a battery chamber for receiving a battery thereinto, said main body further comprising an outer colored region thereof, including an outer surface, said outer colored region, including an outer surface, comprising a base material, and a colorant composition in said base material,

at least 50% by weight of said colorant composition comprising a luminescent colorant material receiving first energy as incident radiation at a first wavelength and emitting the first energy at a second longer wavelength in the visible spectrum,

at least 0.1% by weight of said colorant composition comprising reflective colorant material receiving second energy as incident radiation at a third wavelength in the visible spectrum and selectively reflecting the second energy so received at a fourth wavelength in the visible spectrum at or near the second wavelength,

such that said main body emits, in the visible spectrum, light radiation derived in part from said reflective colorant material and in part from said luminescent colorant material, the light emitted from said luminescent colorant material adding to the intensity of the light reflected by said reflective colorant material to provide a total emitted light intensity, from the combination of the reflective colorant material and the luminescent colorant material, greater than the light intensity from a corresponding amount of said reflective colorant material alone.

2. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1, said luminescent material being carried in a polymeric carrier.

3. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 2, said colorant composition comprising said luminescent material, a reflecting non-white phthalocyanine colorant, and a white colorant providing both opacity and brightness.

4. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 2, said luminescent material being carried in a particulate amide polymer carrier, said particulate amide polymer carrier being dispersed in a polypropylene base material.

5. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1, said luminescent material comprising a fluorescent colorant.

6. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1, said luminescent material comprising a phosphorescent colorant.

7. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1, at least part of the energy emitted by said luminescent material being derived from incident light having a wavelength shorter than the wavelength of visible light.

8. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1 wherein light emitted from said main body at the dominant wavelength represents at least 15%, and up to 300% dominant wave radiation incident at the dominant wavelength.

9. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1, at least 50% by weight of said colorant composition comprising said luminescent colorant material, no more than about 50% by weight of said colorant composition comprising said reflective colorant material.

22. A main body for a flashlight as in claim 1 wherein said colorant composition is distributed throughout substantially the entirety of said main body.

10. A flashlight having a main body and at least one closure cap, said main body comprising a luminescent body having an outer colored region thereof, including an outer surface, said outer colored region comprising a base material, and a colorant composition in said base material,

at least 80% by weight of said colorant composition comprising a luminescent colorant material receiving first energy as incident radiation at a first wavelength and emitting the first energy at a second longer wavelength in the visible spectrum,

at least 0.1 by weight of said colorant composition comprising reflective colorant material receiving second energy as incident radiation at a third wavelength in the visible spectrum and selectively reflecting the second energy so received at a fourth wavelength in the visible spectrum at or near the second wavelength, said reflective colorant material comprising the combination of a reflecting non-white colorant and a white colorant material providing both opacity and brightness,

such that said main body emits, in the visible spectrum, light radiation derived in part from said reflective non-white colorant, in part from said white colorant material, and in part from said luminescent colorant material, the light emitted from said luminescent colorant material adding to the intensity of the light reflected by said non-white reflective colorant and said white colorant material to provide a total emitted light intensity, from the combination of the reflective non-white colorant, the white colorant material, and the luminescent colorant material, greater than the light intensity from a corresponding amount of said reflective material alone.

11. A flashlight as in claim 10, said luminescent material being carried in a polymeric carrier.

12. A flashlight as in claim 11, said reflective non-white colorant material comprising a phthalocyanine colorant.

13. A flashlight as in claim 10, said luminescent material being carried in a particulate amide polymer carrier, said particulate amide polymer carrier being dispersed in a polypropylene base material.

14. A flashlight as in claim 10, said luminescent material comprising a fluorescent colorant.

15. A flashlight as in claim 10, said luminescent material comprising a phosphorescent colorant.

16. A flashlight as in claim 10, at least part of the energy emitted by said luminescent material being derived from incident light having a wavelength shorter than the wavelength of visible light.

17. A flashlight as in claim 10 wherein light emitted from said main body at the dominant wavelength represents at least 15%, and up to 300%, of the radiation incident at the dominant wavelength.

18. A flashlight as in claim 10, at least 80% by weight of said colorant composition comprising said luminescent colorant material, less than 20% by weight of said colorant composition comprising said reflective colorant material.

19. A flashlight as in claim 10, said flashlight including a lens cap, said lens cap including no luminescent colorant material.

20. A flashlight having a main body, said main body comprising a battery chamber for receiving a battery thereinto, said main body further comprising an outer colored region thereof, including an outer surface region, said outer colored region, including an outer surface, comprising a base material, and a colorant composition in said base material,

at least 50by weight of said colorant composition comprising a luminescent colorant material receiving first energy as incident radiation at a first wavelength and emitting the first energy at a second longer wavelength in the visible spectrum,

at least 0.1% by weight of said colorant composition comprising reflective colorant material receiving second energy as incident radiation at a third wavelength in the visible spectrum and selectively reflecting the second energy so received at a fourth wavelength in the visible spectrum at or near the second wavelength, said reflective colorant material comprising a reflecting non-white colorant, said reflective colorant material further comprising a white colorant material providing both opacity and brightness,

such that said main body emits, in the visible spectrum, light radiation derived in part from said reflective non-white colorant, in part from said white colorant material, and in part from said luminescent colorant material, the light emitted from said luminescent colorant material adding to the intensity of the light reflected by said reflective colorant material to provide a total emitted light intensity, from the combination of the reflective colorant material and the luminescent colorant material, greater than the light intensity from a corresponding amount of said reflective colorant material alone.

21. A flashlight as in claim 20 wherein said colorant composition is distributed throughout substantially the entirety of said main body.