Flashlight charger and rechargeable battery

• US 6,752,514 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/003,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20020064041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 362/183, 362/196, 362/200, 362/202, 362/203, 362/205, 362/206, 320/112-115
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A recharger device for the battery includes a device with a first slot for a first device, such as a flashlight for recharging. A second slot in relationship to the first slot is provided for receiving a second device for recharging. Locking means with each slot such is moveable to permit release one or other device after moving the locking member between a closed position to an open position. The flashlight includes a battery pack to act as a closure of an opening to a battery housing. The closure is in the tailpiece and is mounted in the battery housing. The closure is connected integral with a rechargeable battery such that when the batteries are located in position in the battery housing the battery housing is closed.

Claims

1. A flashlight comprising:

a battery housing having a first opening at a distal end;

a lamp bulb;

an electric connection between the battery housing, and the lamp bulb;

a battery pack for closing the opening of the battery housing, the battery pack including a base for the battery housing, the base being connected with a rechargeable battery such that when the rechargeable batteries are located in position in the battery housing the battery housing is closed, wherein the base of the battery housing includes contacts which extend from a position on the battery pack inside the battery housing to a position on a base of the battery pack wherein the contacts on the base extend outside of the battery pack such that, when the flashlight with its battery pack in the battery housing is located on a recharger for the rechargeable batteries, there are contacts on the recharger which electronically engage the contacts on the outside of the battery pack, and wherein the battery pack is correctly locatable in the housing with the base of the battery pack alone being the closure to the distal end of the battery housing.

2. A flashlight as claimed in claim 1 including an aperture in the battery housing, the aperture being for receiving an element connected with the battery pack, the element being spring-loaded such that when the battery pack is correctly located in the battery housing the element fits in the aperture and locks the battery pack in position in the battery housing.

3. A flashlight as claimed in claim 2 wherein the element is a button element receptive in an aperture in the battery housing, the button element being spring-loaded to fit in the aperture in the normal position and wherein finger pushing action converse to a biasing from the spring action causes the battery pack to be released from its position in the battery housing.

4. A flashlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lamp bulb is located in a housing mounted to have a longitudinal axis at an angle relative to the axial direction of the axis of the battery housing.

5. A flashlight as claimed in claim 4 wherein the longitudinal axis of the angle is substantially right-angular relative to the axis of the battery housing.

6. A flashlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery housing is substantially rectangular in cross section when viewed from the base, the rectangular cross-section being such that a depth of the housing is about half a width of the housing.

7. A flashlight as claimed in claim 6 wherein the rectangular cross-section has cut off or rounded corners.

8. A flashlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least portion of the battery housing includes a grip sleeve.

9. A flashlight as claimed in claim 8 including two separable grip sleeves, the two grip sleeves being located at opposite sides of the battery housing.

10. A flashlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery housing includes an indentation located towards a base of the housing, the indentation being for mating engagement with a locking lip to locate the flashlight in a recharger device.

11. A flashlight as claimed in claim 10 wherein the indentation extends substantially transversely across a face of the base and is located relatively closely to the foot of the flashlight.

12. A flashlight as claimed in claim 11 wherein a recess for receiving a button element on a battery pack is located on an opposite face of the battery housing and is located preferably at a location relatively closer to the top of the battery housing.

13. A flashlight as claimed in claim 12 wherein the recess is an aperture at the top of the battery housing is located substantially opposite to a larger aperture in the battery housing, the larger aperture being for receiving a lens configuration.

14. A rechargeable battery pack for a flashlight, the pack including batteries in relative side-by-side relationship, an extension from the batteries for permitting the batteries to be connected in a battery housing in a releasable manner, first contacts from the batteries for permitting recharging of the batteries in a recharger, and the rechargeable battery pack being locatable in the battery housing by interlocking elements biased into engagement and wherein the contacts extend outwardly from the battery housing to permit contact with a recharger, and

the flashlight comprising a battery housing having a first opening at a distal end, a lamp bulb, and an electric connection between the battery housing and the lamp bulb, the battery pack being for closing the opening of the battery housing, the battery pack including a base for the battery housing, and the base being connected with a rechargeable battery such that when the rechargeable batteries are located in position in the battery housing the battery housing is closed, wherein the base of the battery housing includes contacts which extend from a position on the battery pack inside the battery housing to a position on a base of the battery rack wherein the contacts on the base extend outside of the battery pack such that, when the flashlight with its battery pack in the battery housing is located on a recharger for the rechargeable batteries, there are contacts on the recharger which electronically engage the contacts on the outside of the battery pack.

15. A rechargeable battery pack as claimed in claim 14 wherein the extension for permitting the release includes electrical contacts for connecting a flashlight bulb of a flashlight electrically to the battery pack.

16. A carrier for a rechargeable battery pack, the carrier being for receiving a rechargeable battery pack, the carrier being elongated to receive an elongated structure of the battery pack and to locate the elongated structure of the pack in a recharger in a manner to permit recharging, and wherein the carrier includes first and second ends, the first end being for normal operative location in a flashlight with the first end in adjacency to the area of the flashlight relatively closely adjacent to a bulb for the flashlight and the second end being for location at an end distal to the bulb location, and wherein in a first operative sense, when the carrier and rechargeable battery pack are charging in the recharger, the carrier is relatively reversed such that the first end is directed in to direct contact with the recharger, and in a second operative sense, when the carrier is being recharged when located with the flashlight, the second end is directed in to direct contact with the recharger.

17. A carrier as claimed in claim 16 wherein the elongated structure of the carrier includes an indentation for permitting releasable anchorage of the battery pack and a structure with a mating formation in a recharger for receiving the battery pack in a manner to facilitate recharging.

18. A carrier as claimed in claim 16 wherein there are at least two batteries, the batteries being located preferably in side by side relationship.

19. A flashlight and a recharger device in combination, the flashlight comprising:

a battery housing having a first opening;

a lamp bulb;

an electric connection between the battery housing and the lamp bulb;

a battery pack for closing the opening of the battery housing, the battery pack including a base for the battery housing, the base being connected with a rechargeable battery such that when the rechargeable batteries are located in position in the battery housing, the battery housing is closed; and

the recharger device for the battery pack, comprising;

a base;

a first slot for the flashlight requiring recharging;

a second slot in adjacent relationship to the first slot, the second slot being for receiving a device for recharging;

contacts in the slots for contacting each of the respective flashlight and the device; and

electrical means connected with the contacts to permit a recharging current to flow through the contacts to contacts on the outside of the flashlight housing and to contacts on the device when the electrical means is connected with an external power supply.

20. A combination as claimed in claim 19 wherein the recharger includes a locking member in at least one of the slots for locking a respective flashlight or device in their respective slots when the flashlight or device is located in the slot, the locking member being movable to permit release of the flashlight or device.

21. A combination as claimed in claim 20 wherein both slots have respective locking members.

22. A flashlight and recharger combination, the flashlight comprising:

a battery housing having a first opening, and the housing being rectangular in cross-section such that a depth is about half of a width to accommodate only two batteries in side-by-side relationship;

a lamp bulb;

an electric connection between the battery housing and the lamp bulb;

a closure for the opening of the battery housing, the closure being in a tail cap mounted in the battery housing, the closure being connected with the two rechargeable batteries in series such that when the rechargeable batteries are located in position in the battery housing, the battery housing is closed; and

the recharger device for a battery pack, comprising;

a base;

a first slot for the flashlight requiring recharging;

contacts in the slot for contacting the flashlight;

electrical means connected with the contact to permit a recharging current to flow through the contacts to contacts on the outside of the flashlight housing when the electrical means is connected with an external power supply; and

a locking member in the slot for locking the flashlight in the slot when the recharger device is located in the slot, the locking member being movable to permit release of the recharger device.