Flat flashlight device with key ring attachment and registerable and mateabe parts

• US 6,039,454 A
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lumatec Inudstries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lumatec Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hallgrimsson, Bjarki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Laura K.
• Application Number:
  US09/060,563
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 362/200, 362/201, 362/116, 362/189, 362/190, 362/191
• US Class Current: 362/116
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 15/005 Fobs
• 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 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A flat flashlight device includes an inner casing, a light generating bulb having a pair of spaced apart leads and a battery disposed between the leads, a middle folded card insert, an outer protective cover and an end cap. The inner casing includes upper and lower plates attachable to one another and together defining a cavity. The middle folded card insert extends over and substantially overlies the upper and lower plates of the inner casing and the outer protective cover has an open end and defines a pocket receiving the middle folded card insert, bulb, battery and inner casing. The end cap includes top and bottom cap members attachable to one another and together defining a cavity and a hole. The cavity receives portions of the outer protective cover, middle folded card insert and inner casing and in combination with the outer protective cover encloses the middle folded card insert, bulb and battery and inner casing. The hole in the end cap may receive a key ring therethrough. The upper and lower plates of the inner casing together form a recess exposing the bulb at the exterior of the inner casing.

Claims

1. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having means for generating light, said inner light generating module including an inner casing having an upper plate and a lower plate, said upper and lower plates being attachable to one another and together defining a cavity, said upper plate having an actuating portion overlying said cavity, said means for generating light including a bulb, a pair of leads spaced from one another and being connected to and extending from said bulb and a battery disposed between said leads and at one side in electrical contact with a first of said leads, said light generating means being disposed within said cavity of said inner casing between said upper and lower plates thereof such that depression of said actuating portion of said upper plate of said inner casing causes a second of said leads to make contact with an opposite side of said battery and thereby complete an electrical circuit between said bulb and battery for generating light;

(b) an outer protective cover having an open end and defining a pocket receiving said inner light generating module; and

(c) an end cap having an open end and defining a cavity and a hole, said cavity receiving portions of said outer protective cover and inner light generating module, said end cap closing said open end of said outer protective cover and in combination with said outer protective cover enclosing said inner light generating module, said hole for receiving a key ring therethrough.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said upper plate also has a hood portion overlying said bulb, said actuating portion of said upper plate extending from and mounted in a cantilevered manner to said hood portion.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower plates of said inner casing together further define a recess exposing said bulb of said light generating means exteriorly of said inner casing.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said outer protective cover is made of a substantially transparent material.

4. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having means for generating light;

(b) an outer protective cover having an open end and defining a pocket receiving said inner light generating module; and

(c) an end cap having an open end and defining a cavity and a hole, said cavity receiving portions of said outer protective cover and inner light generating module, said end cap closing said open end of said outer protective cover and in combination with said outer protective cover enclosing said inner light generating module, said hole for receiving a key ring therethrough, said end cap including a top cap member and a bottom cap member, said top and bottom cap members being attachable to one another and together define said cavity and hole.

6. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having means for generating light;

(b) an outer protective cover having an open end and defining a pocket receiving said inner light generating module;

(c) an end cap having an open end and defining a cavity and a hole, said cavity receiving portions of said outer protective cover and inner light generating module, said end cap closing said open end of said outer protective cover and in combination with said outer protective cover enclosing said inner light generating module, said hole for receiving a key ring therethrough; and

(d) a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said inner light generating module.

7. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module having means for generating light;

(b) an outer protective cover having an open end and defining a pocket receiving said inner light generating module; and

(c) an end cap including a top cap member and a bottom cap member, said top and bottom cap members being attachable to one another and together defining a cavity and a hole, said cavity receiving portions of said outer protective cover and inner light generating module, said end cap closing said open end of said outer protective cover and in combination with said outer protective cover enclosing said inner light generating module, said hole for receiving a key ring therethrough.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said inner light generating module includes:

an inner casing having an upper plate and a lower plate, said upper and lower plates being attachable to one another and together defining a cavity, said upper plate having an actuating portion; and

said means for generating light including a bulb, a pair of leads spaced from one another and being connected to and extending from said bulb, and a battery disposed between said leads and at one side in electrical contact with a first of said leads, said light generating means being disposed within said cavity of said inner casing between said upper and lower plates thereof such that depression of said actuating portion of said upper plate of said inner casing causes a second of said leads to make contact with an opposite side of said battery and thereby complete an electrical circuit between said bulb and battery for generating light.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said upper plate also has a hood portion overlying said bulb, said actuating portion of said upper plate extending from and mounted in a cantilevered manner to said hood portion.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said upper and lower plates of said inner casing together further define a recess exposing said bulb of said light generating means exteriorly of said inner casing.

11. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said inner light generating module.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said upper plate of said inner casing has a pair of raised ribs formed longitudinally along opposite side edges of said upper plate for positioning said card insert therebetween.

13. The device of claim 7 further comprising:

a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said inner light generating module.

14. The device of claim 7 wherein said outer protective cover is made of a substantially transparent material.

15. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner casing including an upper plate and a lower plate, said upper and lower plates being attachable to one another and together defining a cavity, said upper plate having an actuating portion;

(b) means for generating light including a bulb, a pair of leads spaced from one another and being connected to and extending from bulb, and a battery disposed between said leads and at one side in electrical contact with a first of said leads, said light generating means disposed within said cavity of said inner casing between said upper and lower plates thereof such that depression of said actuating portion of said upper plate of said inner casing causes a second of said leads to make contact with an opposite side of said battery and thereby complete an electrical circuit between said bulb and battery for generating light;

(c) a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said upper and lower plates of said inner casing;

(d) an outer protective cover having an open end and defining a pocket receiving said middle folded card insert, light generating means and inner casing; and

(e) an end cap including a top cap member and a bottom cap member, said top and bottom cap members being attachable to one another and together defining a cavity and a hole, said cavity receiving portions of said outer protective cover, middle folded card insert and inner casing, said end cap closing said open end of said outer protective cover and in combination with said outer protective cover enclosing said middle folded card insert, light generating means and inner casing, said hole for receiving a key ring therethrough.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said upper plate also has a hood portion overlying said bulb, said actuating portion of said upper plate extending from and mounted in a cantilevered manner to said hood portion.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said upper and lower plates of said inner casing together further define a recess exposing said bulb of said light generating means exteriorly of said inner casing.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein said upper plate of said inner casing has a pair of raised ribs formed longitudinally along opposite side edges of said upper plate for positioning said card insert therebetween.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein said outer protective cover is made of a substantially transparent material.

20. The device of claim 15 wherein said upper and lower plates of said inner casing have a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of posts which tightly interference fit into said receptacles for attaching said upper and lower plates to one another.

21. The device of claim 15 wherein said upper and lower plates of said inner casing, said middle folded card insert and said outer protective cover have respective pairs of spaced apart holes which are aligned and registered with one another when said middle folded card insert and inner casing are received within said pocket of said outer protective cover.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said top and bottom cap members of said end cap further have a pair of interfitting posts and receptacles for disposition through said aligned holes of said upper and lower plates of said inner casing, said middle folded card insert and said outer protective cover for attaching said top and bottom cap members to one another sandwiching said portions of said outer protective cover, middle folded card insert and inner casing therebetween such that said end cap in combination with said outer protective cover securably encloses said middle folded card insert, light generating means and inner casing.