Flashlight with rotatable head and threaded connection mechanism

• US 6,283,610 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2000
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip M. Alajajian
• Original Assignee: Philip M. Alajajian
• Inventors: Alajajian, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): WARD, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US09/543,872
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 362/199, 362/202, 362/204, 362/205, 362/102, 362/109
• US Class Current: 362/199
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/04 characterised by the provision of a light source housing portion adjustably fixed to the remainder of the device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles

Abstract

A flashlight design with a rotatable head which operates about an inclined pivot axis such that the light beam may be pointed either in alignment with, or over a range up to a right angle with respect to the base of the flashlight. The flashlight uses one or more battery cells. It includes an electrical sliding commutator mechanism for electrically connecting the bulb to the battery independent of the rotated position of the rotatable head relative to the base. The flashlight also contains a threaded fitting at the end of the base to allow physical interconnection and integration with other products that would benefit by being connected with a maneuverable light source. Such products include, but are not limited to, umbrellas golf bags, and carpentry tools.

Claims

1. A flashlight with a rotatable head, comprising:

a base, which further comprises a power source;

a neck, having a base end and a head end, removeably attached to the base at the base end;

the head, having a neck end and a light end, rotatably attached at the neck end to the neck, and further comprising a light source at the light end; and

a rotatable electrical connection between the power source and the light source, said connections maintaining electrical continuity between the power source and the light source as the head is rotated relative to the base.

15. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein said head contains an O-ring, and further contains a spring on the neck end to enhance rotational friction and to maintain smoother rotation of the head.

2. A flashlight with a rotatable head, comprising:

a fixed part, which further comprises a power source;

the head, having a fixed end and a light end, rotatably attached at the fixed end to the fixed part, and further comprising a light source at the light end; and

means to maintain electrical connectivity between the power source and the light source as the head is rotated relative to the fixed part.

3. The flashlight of claim 2, wherein the fixed part further comprises:

a base, which contains said power source;

a neck, removeably attached to the base; and

an electrical connection between the base and a neck, and

wherein the means to maintain electrical connectivity between the power source and the light source further comprises a rotatatable electrical connection between the neck and the head, so that the neck, when attached to the base, remains fixed with respect to the base, the head rotating relative to the neck, and the electrical connection between the power source and the light source remaining in effect as the head is rotated.

4. The flashlight of claim 3, wherein the rotatable electrical connection between the head and the neck comprises a sliding commutator.

5. The flashlight of claim 4, wherein the electrical connection comprises a positive circuit and a negative circuit, and the sliding commutator further comprising a positive commutator which provides continuity for the positive circuit, and a negative commutator, which provides continuity for the negative circuit.

6. The flashlight of claim 5, further comprising a switch located in the base, the switch having an on position and an off position, the on position connecting the positive and negative circuit to said power source, and the off position disconnecting the positive and negative circuit from said power source.

7. The flashlight of claim 6, wherein both the neck and the head are in the form of a cylinder having a major axis, with a base at one end perpendicular to the major axis, and the cylinder intersected at the other end by a plane at approximately 45 degrees, to said major axis, the light source located in the cylinder base end of the head, and the neck attached at the cylinder base end to the base, so that the major axis of the head may be rotated at an angle between 90 degrees and zero degrees relative to the major axis of the base.

8. The flashlight of claim 7, wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

9. The flashlight of claim 8, wherein the light source further comprises a bulb, and the commutator further comprises:

a metal pivot pin;

an annular metal ring; and

a metal strip,

wherein a terminal of said bulb remains in electrical contact with said metal pin by means of said metal strip as the head is rotated and wherein an alternate terminal of said bulb remains in contact with said annular metal ring by means of a second said metal strip when the head is rotated.

10. The flashlight of claim 9, wherein the body further comprises a neck end and a utility end, and further comprising a threaded connector located in the utility end of the body, so that threaded objects are attached to the body.

11. The flashlight of claim 10, wherein the threaded objects consist of members of the group including umbrellas, golf bags, and carpentry tools.

12. The flashlight of claim 10, wherein said utility end has a tapered nipple projection;

and said nipple projection contains a threaded interior.

13. The flashlight of claim 2, wherein the fixed part is tapered in a conical fashion for enhancement of a human hand grip.

14. The flashlight of claim 3, wherein the base, neck and head are comprised of a translucent plastic resin to permit the user to view the condition of the internal components.

16. The flashlight of claim 2, wherein the fixed part further comprises a base, wherein the base further comprises a neck end and a utility end, and wherein said utility end has a tapered nipple projection containing a threaded interior.