LED flashlight with interlocking clip

• US 6,796,672 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• 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: Parsons, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/622,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20040017680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 362/116, 362/196, 362/200, 362/205, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/116
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 15/00 Key-rings
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• 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 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• 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: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• 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 source;

a power source;

a body enclosing the light source and the power source;

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

a clip extending from the body on an end of the body opposite the light source and having an opening defined by a clip extension and a clip lock, whereby a keyring can be attached to the clip, and wherein, upon exerting a force against the lock, the clip is opened to permit a keyring to be inserted into the opening within the clip, and wherein the extension further comprises an outer end adapted to engage and releasably interlock with an outer end of the lock.

2. The flashlight as in claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a power source frame enclosing at least a portion of the light source and the power source and a power source frame housing enclosing the power source frame.

3. The flashlight as in claim 1 wherein the clip extension further comprises a latch receptacle disposed on the outer end of the clip extension.

4. The flashlight as in claim 3 wherein the lock further comprises a latch disposed on the outer end of the clip lock that is adapted to engage the latch receptacle of the clip extension.

5. The flashlight as in claim 4 wherein the latch receptacle further comprises a receptacle hood that extends over the latch receptacle, to prevent overextension of the clip lock.

6. A flashlight comprising:

a light source;

a power source;

a body enclosing at least a portion of the light source and the power source;

a switch disposed in the body adjacent the power source and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source; and

a keyring extension extending from the body having an opening whereby keyring can be attached to the keyring extension and the keyring extension further includes a spring-biased keyring lock operatively connected to the power source frame wherein, upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit a keyring to be attached to the keyring extension and wherein the keyring extension further comprises an outer end adapted to engage and releasably interlock to an outer end of the keyring lock.

7. The flashlight as in claim 6 wherein the keyring extension further comprises a latch receptacle disposed on the outer end of the keyring extension.

8. The flashlight as in claim 7 wherein the keyring lock further comprises a latch disposed on the outer end of the keyring lock that is adapted to engage the latch receptacle of the keyring extension.

9. The flashlight as in claim 8 wherein the latch receptacle further comprises a receptacle hood that extends over the latch receptacle, thus preventing overextension of the keyring lock.

10. 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;

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

a keyring extension extending from the housing having an opening whereby a keyring can be attached to the keyring extension; and

a keyring lock operatively connected to the housing wherein, upon exerting a force against the keyring lock, the keyring lock is opened to permit a keyring to be attached to the keyring extension and wherein the keyring extension further comprises an outer end adapted to engage and releasably interlock with an outer end of the keyring lock.

11. The flashlight as in claim 10 wherein the keyring lock further comprises a pivotal connection with a power source frame.

12. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the keyring lock further comprises a spring disposed between the power source frame and keyring lock that biases the keyring lock into a closed position.

13. The flashlight as in claim 12 wherein the power source frame and keyring lock further comprises a respective hub adapted to secure the spring in an operable position between the power source frame and keyring lock.

14. The flashlight as in claim 10 wherein the keyring extension further comprises a latch receptacle disposed on the outer end of the keyring extension.

15. The flashlight as in claim 14 wherein the keyring lock further comprises a latch disposed on the outer end of the keyring lock that is adapted to engage the latch receptacle of the keyring extension.

16. The flashlight as in claim 15 wherein the latch receptacle further comprises a receptacle hood that extends over the latch receptacle, thus preventing overextension of the keyring lock.