Rechargeable flashlight assembly with nightlight

• US 5,806,961 A
• Filed: 04/12/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Furth, David A., Osiecki, Scott W., Dalton, David R., Ferguson, Mark A., Lynch, Peter F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/631,444
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 362/183, 362/184, 362/202, 362/204, 362/205, 362/20, 320/2
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/025 the light sources being of different shape or type
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/085 Pocket lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A rechargeable flashlight having a nightlight is provided comprising in combination a housing, a rechargeable power supply within the housing, first and second lamp assemblies disposed within said housing, a rotating electrical connector attached to the housing to selectively interconnect the rechargeable power supply to an AC power source to recharge the battery. The rotating connector also connecting the second lamp assembly to the rechargeable power supply. In a second position, the rotating electrical connector is disconnected from the rechargeable power supply and interrupts the power to the second lamp assembly.

Claims

1. A flashlight, comprising in combination:

a flashlight casing;

a battery disposed within said flashlight casing;

a first lamp assembly disposed within said flashlight casing;

a second lamp assembly disposed within said flashlight casing;

a circuit within said flashlight casing interconnecting said first lamp assembly to said battery for providing power to said first lamp assembly and recharging said battery; and

an electrical connector extending through said flashlight casing and having a first position with respect to said flashlight casing for connecting said circuit to said second lamp assembly and providing an electrical current to said circuit for recharging said battery and a second position with respect to said flashlight casing for disconnecting said second lamp assembly from said circuit.

2. The flashlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said second lamp assembly includes:

a lens mounted in an opening in a wall of said flashlight casing; and

a lamp for illuminating said lens.

3. The flashlight as defined in claim 2, wherein said lamp for illuminating said lens is adjacent an end of said lens.

4. The flashlight as defined in claim 2, wherein said lamp for illuminating said lens is disposed in an end of said lens.

5. The flashlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit includes a charging circuit operatively interconnecting said electrical connector to said battery.

6. The flashlight as defined in claim 5, wherein said rechargeable battery is detachably coupled to said charging circuit.

7. The flashlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said electrical connector includes:

a pair of electrical contacts configured to extend from said flashlight casing to said first position to engage an electrical receptacle providing the electrical current to said circuit, and rotatable with respect to said housing to said second position generally parallel to said flashlight casing and thereby disconnecting the electrical current from said circuit.

8. The flashlight as defined in claim 1, further including a lens assembly having a reflector concentrically receiving said first lamp assembly.

9. The flashlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit includes a switch extending through said flashlight casing and selectively interconnecting said circuit to said first lamp assembly.

10. The flashlight as defined in claim 1, wherein said first lamp assembly and said circuits are removable as a unit from said flashlight casing.

11. A flashlight, comprising in combination:

a housing;

a circuit disposed within said housing;

first and second lamp assemblies disposed within said housing; and

a rotatable switch mounted to said housing for selectively disconnecting said second lamp assembly from said circuit, and operatively connecting said circuit to an external power supply.

12. The flashlight as defined in claim 11, wherein said circuit includes:

a rechargeable battery; and

a recharging circuit operably interconnecting said rechargeable battery and said rotatable switch.

13. A flashlight comprising in combination:

a housing;

a circuit slidably disposed within said housing, said circuit including a rechargeable battery and a recharging circuit;

first and second lamp assemblies disposed within said housing, said first lamp assembly providing a flashlight function and a second lamp assembly providing a nightlight function; and

a rotatable switch mounted to said housing for selectively interconnecting said second lamp assembly to said circuit, and operatively connecting said circuit to an external power supply,

wherein said recharging circuit operably interconnects said rechargeable battery and said rotatable switch, and said second lamp assembly includes a lens configured to be received within and closing an opening within said housing, and a lamp disposed in an edge of said lens for illuminating said lens.

14. The flashlight as defined in claim 13, wherein said lens is configured to refract substantially all light from said lamp at said edge of said lens to an outer surface of said lens.

15. The flashlight as defined in claim 14, wherein said outer surface of said lens conforms to an outer surface of said flashlight casing.

16. A rechargeable flashlight, comprising in combination:

a circuit assembly including a rechargeable battery and a circuit for controlling a recharge of said battery;

first and second lamps, said first lamp operably coupled to said circuit assembly through a switch; and

a rotatable plug operably connected to said circuit assembly for selectively connecting said rechargeable battery to an AC power supply and selectively disconnecting said second lamp from said rechargeable battery.

17. A rechargeable flashlight, comprising in combination:

a circuit assembly including a battery;

a flashlight lamp operably coupled to said battery by said circuit assembly and a first switch;

a nightlight lamp operably coupled to said battery by said circuit assembly; and

a rotating plug assembly rotatable between a first position for selectively connecting said circuit assembly to an external power source and a second position,

wherein said circuit assembly includes a second switch responsive to rotation of said rotating plug assembly for selectively disconnecting said nightlight lamp from said battery when said rotating plug assembly is in said second position and for connecting said nightlight lamp to said battery when said rotating plug assembly is moved from said second position.

18. The rechargeable flashlight as defined in claim 17, wherein said nightlight lamp is disposed in a side of the flashlight.

19. The rechargeable flashlight as defined in claim 17, wherein said first position of said rotating plug assembly is adapted to further connect said circuit assembly to an external power source for recharging said battery.

20. A rechargeable flashlight comprising:

a primary lamp assembly;

a nightlight lamp assembly; and

an external electrical connector movable between first and second positions for selectively coupling the rechargeable flashlight to an external source of power,

wherein said nightlight lamp assembly is illuminated when said external electrical connector is in said first position regardless of whether said electrical connector is connected to an external power source, and wherein said primary lamp assembly is disabled when said external electrical connector is connected to an external source of power.

21. A flashlight comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a first lamp selectively connected to and powered by said rechargeable battery through a first switch;

an electrical connector movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, said electrical conductor being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery and adapted for connection to a power supply outlet when in said first extended position so as to enable said rechargeable battery to be recharged;

a second lamp selectively connected to said rechargeable through a second switch; and

a charging indicator lamp connected between said electrical connector and said rechargeable battery, said charging indicator lamp being illuminated whenever said electrical connector is connected to a power supply outlet,

wherein said second switch selectively connects and disconnects said second lamp to/from said rechargeable battery in response to movement of said electrical connector.

22. A flashlight comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a first lamp selectively connected to and powered by said rechargeable battery through a first switch;

an electrical connector movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, said electrical conductor being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery and adapted for connection to a power supply outlet when in said first extended position so as to enable said rechargeable battery to be recharged;

a second lamp selectively connected to said rechargeable battery through a second switch; and

a circuit responsive to a detection of power received through said electrical connector, for disconnecting said first lamp from said rechargeable battery when power is detected that passes through said electrical connector.

23. The flashlight as defined in claim 22, wherein said second switch selectively connects and disconnects said second lamp to/from said rechargeable battery in response to movement of said electrical connector.

24. A flashlight comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a first lamp selectively connected to and powered by said rechargeable battery through a first switch;

an electrical connector movable between a first position and a second position, said electrical conductor being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery and adapted for connection to a power supply outlet when in said first extended position so as to enable said rechargeable battery to be recharged; and

a second lamp selectively connected to said rechargeable battery through a second switch, wherein said second switch selectively connects and disconnects said second lamp to/from said rechargeable battery in response to movement of said electrical connector.

25. A flashlight comprising:

a housing;

a battery disposed within said housing;

a switch disposed on said housing and coupled to said battery;

a first lamp disposed within said housing for projecting light from one end of said housing when power is received from said battery through said switch;

a lens configured to be received within and closing an opening within said housing; and

a second lamp disposed in an edge of said lens for illuminating said lens.