Miniature led flashlight

• US 6,749,317 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Armament Systems and Procedures Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Armament Systems and Procedures Incorporated
• Inventors: Reeves, W. Clay, Parsons, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/045,231
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 362/116, 362/200, 362/205, 362/191, 362/398, 362/800, 362/109, 362/196, 362/188
• US Class Current: 362/116
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 15/00 Key-rings
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0885 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A flashlight having a light-emitting diode light source with first and second leads extending therefrom, a power source, a power source frame enclosing at least a portion of the power source; a housing containing the light source and power source, a switch located adjacent the power source and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source, and wherein one or all of the following may be included 1) a keyring extension extending from a power source frame or the housing with the keyring extension having an opening whereby an article can be attached to the keyring extension and includes a keyring lock wherein upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit the article to be attached to the keyring extension; 2) the housing is comprised of translucent material; and 3) the housing includes at least one side cover which is not integral with the housing and the at least one side cover being selected from anodized aluminum, anodized metal, anodized metal which includes indicia, die struck metal, laser engraved metal, and a side cover having a separate medallion attached thereto.

Claims

1. A flashlight comprising:

a light-emitting diode light source having first and second leads extending therefrom, the light source being at a first end of the flashlight;

a power source;

a power source frame enclosing at least a portion of the power source;

a power source frame housing containing the power source frame, light source and power source;

a switch located adjacent the power source and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source;

a keyring extension extending from the power source frame, at a second end of a flashlight opposite the light-emitting diode;

said keyring extension having an opening whereby an article can be attached to the keyring extension; and

the keyring extension further includes a keyring lock connected to the power source frame or power source frame housing wherein upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit the article to be attached to the keyring extension.

2. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the keyring lock pivots about a circular post.

3. The flashlight of claim 2 wherein the keyring lock is spring-biased and pivots about a circular post positioned on the power source frame.

4. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein the keyring lock exerts a force against an end of the keyring extension.

5. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein the keyring extension extends from a side opposite from the light emitting diode.

6. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein the housing includes at least one side cover.

7. The flashlight of claim 6 wherein the at least one side cover is made of a material dissimilar to the material of the housing.

8. The flashlight of claim 7, wherein th at least one side cover is comprised of metal.

9. The flashlight of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the side cover selected from anodized aluminum the at least one of the side cover selected from anodized metal, anodized metal which includes indicia, die struck metal, laser engraved metal, and a side cover having a separate medallion attached thereto.

10. The flashlight of claim 9, wherein an elastomeric switch element is positioned within the at least one side cover.

11. The flashlight of claim 9 wherein there are two side covers, one on each side of the flashlight and one of the side covers has said switch element.

12. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein the housing is translucent.

13. The flashlight of claim 12 wherein the frame and housing are translucent.

19. The flashlight of claim 8, wherein the side covers are opaque.

14. A flashlight comprising:

a light emitting diode having first and second leads extending therefrom;

a power source having a first side and a second side, the second side being opposite the first side;

a housing enclosing the leads of the light emitting diode and the power source, wherein the housing is comprised of translucent material, the housing being elongated and the light emitting diode being located at one end thereof; and

a switch next to the power source operable to close a circuit including the light emitting diode and the power source.

15. The flashlight of claim 14, further including a power source frame positioned within the housing.

16. The flashlight of claim 15, wherein the power source frame is comprised of translucent material.

17. The flashlight of claim 14, wherein the housing includes integral side covers.

18. The flashlight of claim 14, wherein the housing includes non-integral side covers.

20. The flashlight of claim 17, wherein the side covers are made of a translucent material.

21. The flashlight of claim 14, wherein the housing is colored.

22. The flashlight of claim 21, wherein the housing is the same color as the light emitting diode.

23. The flashlight of claim 18, wherein the side covers are colored.

24. The flashlight of claim 18, wherein the side covers are a different color than the housing.

25. The flashlight of claim 14, wherein the housing is comprised of polycarbonate.

26. The flashlight of claim 15, wherein a magnet is positioned within the housing.

27. The flashlight of claim 14 wherein:

a keyring extension extends from the housing or a power source frame within the housing, at a second end of the flashlight, opposite the first end;

said keyring extension having an opening whereby an article can be attached to the keyring extension; and

a keyring lock extending from the housing or power source frame wherein upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit the article to be attached to the keyring extension.

28. A flashlight comprising:

a light-emitting diode light source having first and second leads extending therefrom;

a power source;

a housing including the light source, the power source, and at least one side cover not being integral with the housing;

two side covers, one on each side of the flashlight;

one of said side covers having a switch element located adjacent the power source and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source; and

at least one side cover selected from the group consisting of anodized metal, anodized metal including indicia, die struck metal, engraved metal.

29. The flashlight of claim 28 wherein the at least one side cover is made of a material dissimilar to the material of the housing.

30. The flashlight of claim 28;

wherein an elastomeric switch element is positioned within the at least one side cover.

31. The flashlight of claim 28, wherein both side covers are die struck metal.

32. The flashlight of claim 31, further including a power source frame positioned within the housing.

33. The flashlight of claim 31, wherein a magnet is positioned within the housing.

34. The flashlight of claim 31 wherein:

the light source being at a first end of the flashlight;

a keyring extension extends from the housing or a power source frame within the housing, at a second end of the flashlight opposite the first end;

said keyring extension having an opening whereby an article can be attached to the keyring extension; and

a keyring lock extending from the housing or the power source frame wherein upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit the article to be attached to the keyring extension.

35. The flashlight of claim 34, wherein the keyring lock pivots about a circular post.

36. The flashlight of claim 35 wherein the keyring lock is spring-biased and pivots about a circular post positioned on the power source frame.

37. The flashlight of claim 34 wherein the keyring lock exerts a force against an end of the keyring extension.

38. The flashlight of claim 34 wherein the keyring extension extends from a side opposite from the light emitting diode.

39. The flashlight of claim 28, wherein one side over has the separate medallion and the other side cover has an elastomeric switch element positioned therein.

40. The flashlight of claim 39, further including a power source frame positioned within the housing.

41. The flashlight of claim 39, wherein a magnet is positioned within the housing.

42. The flashlight of claim 39 wherein:

the light source being at a first end of the flashlight;

a keyring extension extends from the housing or a power source frame within the housing, at a second end of the flashlight, opposite the first end;

said keyring extension having an opening whereby an article can be attached to the keyring extension; and

a keyring luck extending from the housing or the power source frame wherein upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit the article to be attached to the keyring extension.

43. The flashlight of claim 42, wherein the keyring lock pivots about a circular post.

44. The flashlight of claim 43 wherein the keying lock is spring-biased and pivots about a circular post positioned on the power source frame.

45. The flashlight of claim 42 wherein the keyring lock exerts a force against an end of the keyring extension.

46. The flashlight of claim 42 wherein the keyring extension extends from a side opposite from light emitting diode.