Multipurpose pocket accessory having optical and mechanical tools

• US 6,027,224 A
• Filed: 08/12/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IP Holdings Incorporated (IP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tim Schnell
• Inventors: Schnell, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/133,760
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 362/109, 362/116, 362/119, 362/120, 362/184, 362/200, 362/205, 362/234, 362/253, 362/259, 7/118, 7/158, 7/161, 7/167, 7/168, 30/123
• US Class Current: 362/119
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 11/00 Hand knives combined with other implements, e.g. with corkscrew, with scissors, with writing implement combined table-ware A47G21/06
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 11/008 comprising electronic or electrical features, e.g. illuminating means, computing devices or sensors

Abstract

A multipurpose pocket accessory includes handheld optical and mechanical implements. A laser pointer and a flashlight project separate beams from one end of an elongated housing, and have a common power supply within the housing. A set of pocketknife type tools can be extended from the other end of the housing.

Claims

1. A multipurpose pocket accessory comprising:

an elongated housing having a long axis and having an overall size sufficiently small to fit comfortably in a hand of a user;

an optical pointer assembly disposed within the housing for projecting a thin optical beam from one end of the housing along the long axis of the housing and including a pointer switch;

a flashlight assembly disposed within the housing for projecting a wide optical beam from the one end along the long axis of the housing and including a flashlight switch;

a common power supply for both the optical pointer and the flashlight assemblies disposed within the housing; and

a set of mechanical tools mounted within the housing so as to be selectively extendible outside the housing while remaining affixed to the housing.

2. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 1, wherein the housing measures about three to about five inches along its long axis.

3. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 2, wherein the housing is substantially parallelopiped.

4. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an end surface substantially perpendicular to the long axis and having a first aperture for projecting the thin optical beam and has a second aperture for projecting the wide optical beam.

5. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 4, wherein the pointer switch is a momentary switch.

6. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 5, wherein the pointer switch projects through the housing near the end surface.

7. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 6, wherein the housing has a top and a bottom surface, and wherein the pointer switch is located on one of the top and bottom surfaces.

8. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 4, wherein the flashlight switch is a locking switch.

9. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 8, wherein the flashlight switch projects through the housing near the end surface.

10. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 9, wherein housing includes two side surfaces extending along the long axis, and wherein the flashlight switch is located on one of the side surfaces.

11. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a battery holder electrically coupled to the optical pointer and flashlight assemblies.

12. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 11, wherein the battery holder is configured to hold one or more electrical cells disposed parallel to the long axis of the housing.

13. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 1, wherein the set of mechanical tools includes a knife.

14. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 13, wherein the set of tools includes a screwdriver.

15. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 13, wherein the set of mechanical tools includes an opener for a container.

16. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a mounting for extending individual ones of the tools of the set outside the housing.

17. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 16, wherein the mounting is adapted for swingably extending individual ones of the tools.

18. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 16, wherein the housing includes a slot encasing the tools of the set.

19. A multipurpose pocket accessory comprising:

an elongated housing in the shape of a parallelopiped having an overall size sufficiently small to fit comfortably in a hand of a user, the housing having wide top and bottom surfaces and narrower side surfaces along a long axis, and having a front end surface transverse to the long axis and a rear portion opposite the front end;

an optical pointer assembly disposed within the housing near the front end surface, for projecting a thin optical beam from the front end surface along the long axis of the housing;

a flashlight assembly disposed within the housing near the front end surface, for projecting a wide optical beam from the one end along the long axis of the housing;

a power supply disposed within the rear portion of the housing, for holding at least one electrical cell for powering both the optical pointer and the flashlight assemblies; and

a set of mechanical tools mounted in the rear portion of the housing so as to be selectively extendible outside the housing while remaining affixed to the housing.

20. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 19, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of the housing are substantially flat.

21. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 20, wherein the side surfaces are substantailly flat, with radiused corners.

22. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 19, wherein the housing further includes a panel over the power supply for exposing the at least one electrical cell.

23. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 22, wherein the power supply is adapted to hold multiple cylindrical electrical cells disposed along the long axis of the housing.

24. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 19, wherein the housing includes a slot formed beside the power supply for encasing the set of mechanical tools.

25. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 24, wherein the set of mecahnical tools are mounted for swingable extension outside the housing.

26. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 25, wherein the mechanical tools are mounted for swingable extension away from the front end of the housing.

27. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 19, wherein the pointer assembly includes a momentary switch projecting through one of the top and bottom surfaces of the housing near the front end surface.

28. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 19, wherein the flashlight assembly includes a locking switch projecting through one of the side surfaces of the housing near the front end surface.

29. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 28, wherein the locking switch is a slide switch moving in the direction of the housing'"'"'s long axis.

30. A multipurpose pocket accessory comprising:

an elongated housing in the shape of a parallelopiped having an overall size sufficiently small to fit comfortably in a hand of a user, the housing having top and bottom surfaces and narrower side surfaces along a long axis, and having a front end surface transverse to the long axis and a rear portion opposite the front end;

an optical pointer assembly disposed within the housing near the front end surface, for projecting a thin optical beam from the front end surface along the long axis of the housing;

a flashlight assembly disposed within the housing near the front end surface, for projecting a wide optical beam from the one end along the long axis of the housing;

a power supply disposed between the front end surface and the rear portion of the housing, for holding at least one electrical cell for powering both the optical pointer and the flashlight assemblies; and

at least one set of mechanical tools mounted in the rear portion of the housing so as to be selectively extendible outside the housing while remaining affixed to the housing.

31. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 30, wherein the housing is slightly bowed at its middle for a comfortable hand grip.

32. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 30, wherein the set of tools is mounted for swingable extension away from the housing.

33. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 32, wherein the tools of the set are swingable away from the front surface of the housing.

34. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 32, wherein the tools of the set are swingable toward the front surface of the housing.

35. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 32, wherein the tools of the set are mounted on both sides of the housing.

36. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 30, wherein the power supply is adapted for holding at least one cylindrical electrical cell along the long axis of the housing.

37. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 36, wherein the power supply is adpated for hoding multiple electrical cells side by side.

38. The multipurpose pocket accessory of claim 30, further including a cover for engaging the rear portion of the housing for covering the set of mechanical tools.