Peripherally sealed card-like flashlight device with protection against accidental switch actuation

• US 6,109,762 A
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lumatec Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lumatec Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Ashdown, Bryce, Hallgrimsson, Bjarki
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US09/060,429
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 362/200, 362/201, 362/205
• US Class Current: 362/200
• 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 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00

Abstract

A card-like flashlight device includes an inner light generating module having a housing, battery, lamp and switch member, and an outer protective cover. The housing has upper and lower surfaces and defines a central opening through the upper surface and a cavity below and in communication with the central opening. The battery is mounted in the cavity. The lamp has a bulb element and upper and lower conductive lead elements extending therefrom receiving the battery therebetween. The switch member is mounted in the central opening of the housing such that the switch member does not protrude beyond the upper surface of the housing and is deformable between a convex configuration in which the switch member does not deflect the upper conductive lead element into electrical contact with the battery and a concave configuration in which the dome switch member deflects the upper conductive lead element into electrical contact with the battery and thereby completes an electrical circuit between the lamp and battery for generating light. The outer protective cover has a flat sleeve-like configuration surrounding and hermetically sealing and encasing the inner light generating module. A middle folded card insert extends over and overlies the inner light generating module and is encased by the outer protective cover. An annular pad of insulative material is mounted over the battery such that only a central area of the battery is exposed for making electrical contact with the upper conductive lead element of the lamp.

Claims

1. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module including

(i) a housing having an upper surface and a lower surface and defining a central opening through said upper surface and a cavity below and in communication with said central opening,

(ii) a battery having opposite upper and lower faces and being mounted in said cavity of said housing such that said battery does not protrude beyond said upper surface of said housing,

(iii) a lamp having a bulb element and a pair of upper and lower conductive lead elements extending therefrom and receiving said battery therebetween such that said upper and lower conductive lead elements are disposed respectively adjacent said upper and lower faces of said battery, and

(iv) switch means mounted in said central opening of said housing between said upper surface thereof and said upper face of said battery such that said switch means does not protrude beyond said upper surface of said housing protecting said switch means from accidental actuation and such that depression of said switch means toward the battery upon application of a predetermined pressure thereon causes said upper conductive lead element to make electrical contact with said battery and thereby complete an electrical circuit between said lamp and battery for generating light; and

(b) an outer protective cover having a generally flat sleeve-like configuration completely surrounding and hermetically sealing and encasing said inner light generating module therein.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing has upper and lower portions, said upper portion defining said upper surface and central opening of said housing extending therethrough, said lower portion defining said lower surface of said housing and being attached to and in combination with said upper portion defining said cavity of said housing below and in communication with said central opening of said housing.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing further defines a recess having generally angular-shaped opposite sides for exposing said bulb element of said lamp while providing protection of said bulb from breakage.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said upper surface of said housing defines a groove extending between said central opening and said recess of said housing and receiving said upper conductive lead element of said lamp such that said upper conductive lead element extends into one of said cavity and central opening between said switch means and said upper face of said battery.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said outer protective cover is formed of a pair of generally flat planar sheets aligned with one another at and sealably connected to one another about continuous peripheral regions thereof.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said outer protective cover is comprised of a substantially transparent flexible plastic material.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said inner light generating module and encased by said outer protective cover.

8. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module including

(i) a housing having an upper surface and a lower surface and defining a central opening through said upper surface and a cavity below and in communication with said central opening,

(ii) a battery having opposite upper and lower faces and being mounted in said cavity of said housing such that said battery does not protrude beyond said upper surface of said housing,

(iii) a lamp having a bulb element and a pair of upper and lower conductive lead elements extending therefrom and receiving said battery therebetween such that said upper and lower conductive lead elements are disposed respectively adjacent said upper and lower faces of said battery, and

(iv) switch means mounted in said central opening of said housing between said upper surface thereof and said upper face of said battery such that said switch means does not protrude beyond said upper surface of said housing protecting said switch means from accidental actuation and such that depression of said switch means toward the battery upon application of a predetermined pressure thereon causes said upper conductive lead element to make electrical contact with said battery and thereby complete an electrical circuit between said lamp and battery for generating light;

(b) an annular pad of electrically insulative material mounted on said upper face of said battery such that only a central area of said upper face of said battery is exposed for making electrical contact with said upper conductive lead element of said lamp; and

(c) an outer protective cover having a generally flat sleeve-like configuration completely surrounding and hermetically sealing and encasing said inner light generating module therein.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said switch means is disposed over said central area of said battery exposed within said annular pad such that deflection of said switch means will cause said upper conductive lead element of said lamp to electrically contact said central area of said upper face of said battery upon application of the predetermined pressure to said switch means through said outer protective cover.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said switch means includes a dome-shaped switch member deformable between a substantially convex configuration in which said dome-shaped switch member does not deflect said upper conductive lead element of said lamp into electrical contact with said battery and a substantially concave configuration in which said dome-shaped switch member deflects said upper conductive lead element of said lamp into electrical contact with said battery, said dome-shaped switch member being biased to return to said convex configuration upon release of application of the predetermined pressure thereon and will move to said concave configuration upon application of the predetermined pressure thereon.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein said housing has upper and lower portions, said upper portion defining said upper surface and central opening of said housing extending therethrough, said lower portion defining said lower surface of said housing and being attached to and in combination with said upper portion defining said cavity of said housing below and in communication with said central opening of said housing.

12. The device of claim 8 wherein said housing further defines a recess having generally angular-shaped opposite sides for exposing said bulb element of said lamp while providing protection of said bulb from breakage.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said upper surface of said housing defines a groove extending between said central opening and said recess of said housing and receiving said upper conductive lead element of said lamp such that said upper conductive lead element extends into one of said cavity and central opening between said switch means and said upper face of said battery.

14. The device of claim 8 wherein said outer protective cover is formed of a pair of flat planar sheets aligned with one another at and sealably connected to one another about continuous peripheral regions thereof.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said outer protective cover is comprised of a substantially transparent flexible plastic material.

16. The device of claim 8 further comprising:

a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said inner light generating module and encased by said outer protective cover.

17. A flashlight device, comprising:

(a) an inner light generating module including

(i) a housing having an upper surface and a lower surface and defining a central opening therethrough and a cavity below and in communication with said central opening,

(ii) a battery mounted in said cavity of said housing,

(iii) a lamp having a light element and a pair of upper and lower conductive lead elements extending therefrom and receiving said battery therebetween, and

(iv) a dome-shaped switch member mounted in said central opening of said housing such that said switch member does not protrude beyond said upper surface of said housing protecting said switch member from accidental actuation and such that depression of said switch member toward the battery upon application of a predetermined pressure thereon causes said upper conductive lead element to make electrical contact with said battery and thereby complete an electrical circuit between said lamp and battery for generating a light, said dome-shaped switch member being deformable between a substantially convex configuration in which said dome-shaped switch member does not deflect said upper conductive lead element of said lamp into electrical contact with said battery and a substantially concave configuration in which said dome-shaped switch member deflects said upper conductive lead element of said lamp into electrical contact with said battery, said dome-shaped switch member being biased to return to said convex configuration upon release of application of the predetermined pressure thereon and will move to said concave configuration upon application of the predetermined pressure thereon; and

(b) an outer protective cover having a generally flat sleeve-like configuration completely surrounding and hermetically sealing and encasing said inner light generating module therein.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said housing has upper and lower portions, said upper portion defining said upper surface and central opening of said housing therethrough and said lower portion defining said lower surface of said housing and being attached to and in combination with said upper portion defining said cavity of said housing below and in communication with said central opening of said housing.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein:

said housing defines a recess with generally V-shaped opposite sides exposing said bulb element of said lamp while providing protection of said bulb from breakage; and

said upper surface of said housing defines a groove extending between said central opening and said recess of said housing and receiving said upper conductive lead element of said lamp such that said upper conductive lead element extends into one of said cavity and central opening between said dome-shaped switch member and said upper face of said battery.

20. The device of claim 17 further comprising:

a middle folded card insert extending over and substantially overlying said inner light generating module and encased by said outer protective cover.