Faraday flashlight
DCFirst Claim
1. A flashlight comprising:
- a magnet having a magnetic field;
main housing having a first end and a second end for supporting a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said main housing;
a magnet wire positioned such that said magnet passes by said magnet wire each time said magnet makes said translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said main housing, energizing said magnet wire from passage of said magnetic field through said magnet wire upon said translating movement of said magnet;
a capacitor for storing an electrical charge;
a light emitting diode;
circuitry connected to said capacitor, said light emitting diode and to said magnet wire for converting said energization of said magnet wire into an electrical charge stored in said capacitor and for providing said electrical charge stored in said capacitor to power said light emitting diode;
a first spring having a first end anchored to said main housing, and a second end;
a first damper attached to said second end of said first spring to receive direct force from said magnet;
a second spring having a first end anchored to said main housing, and a second end;
a second damper attached to said second end of said second spring to receive direct force from said magnet.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light generating device utilizes a large centrally located magnet which is mounted to slide past a magnet pickup or current induction wire which may be preferably mounted at a center point of travel in a tubular housing having a tubular chamber through which the magnet travels. A pair of elastomeric bumpers are located each at the end of the tubular chamber which may be inside or outside the flashlight. The result is a device which both facilitates the manual movement of the flashlight body so that the magnet slides past the center magnet pickup or current induction wire, and also conserves the residual momentum of the magnet once it has traveled past the magnet pickup or current induction wire by providing a bumper and spring to conserve some of the mechanical energy going in the other direction. Ninety second of manual activation enables about five minutes of illumination.
48 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A flashlight comprising:
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a magnet having a magnetic field;
main housing having a first end and a second end for supporting a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said main housing;
a magnet wire positioned such that said magnet passes by said magnet wire each time said magnet makes said translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said main housing, energizing said magnet wire from passage of said magnetic field through said magnet wire upon said translating movement of said magnet;
a capacitor for storing an electrical charge;
a light emitting diode;
circuitry connected to said capacitor, said light emitting diode and to said magnet wire for converting said energization of said magnet wire into an electrical charge stored in said capacitor and for providing said electrical charge stored in said capacitor to power said light emitting diode;
a first spring having a first end anchored to said main housing, and a second end;
a first damper attached to said second end of said first spring to receive direct force from said magnet;
a second spring having a first end anchored to said main housing, and a second end;
a second damper attached to said second end of said second spring to receive direct force from said magnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
a threaded structure having a central opening about an inwardly directed cylindrical surface terminating at a circular butt end, and having an inwardly disposed thread complementary to said outwardly disposed thread; and
a front transparent light transmissive material adjacent said central opening and interposed between said circular butt end and said “
o”
ring supported by said groove adjacent said opening.
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5. The flashlight as recited in claim 4 wherein said front transparent light transmissive material is a lens for directing a set of light rays from said light emitting diode.
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6. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a magnet translation support sleeve within said main housing for providing translation containment for said magnet and for providing support for said magnet wire.
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7. The flashlight as recited in claim 6 and further comprising a support for supporting said capacitor and connected to said magnet translation support sleeve.
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8. The flashlight as recited in claim 7 and further comprising a reflector housing for supporting said light emitting diode and connected to said support for supporting said capacitor.
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9. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a switch interposed between said connection of said capacitor and said light emitting diode for controllably controlling the energization of said light emitting diode.
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10. The flashlight as recited in claim 9 wherein said switch interposed between said connection of said capacitor and said light emitting diode is a reed switch operated by a small switching magnet on an outside of said main housing.
Specification