Miniature flashlight

• US 6,799,862 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nite Ize Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Robert D. Galli
• Inventors: Galli, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeade, Bertrand
• Application Number:
  US10/248,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20030072151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 362/201, 362/200, 362/119, 362/116, 362/189, 362/196, 362/208, D26/38, 200/60
• US Class Current: 362/201
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 2/00 Systems of electric lighting devices systems employing both electric and non-electric light sources or exchangeable light sources F21L27/00
• 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 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A miniature flashlight consists of a housing, a light emitting diode (LED), a pair of batteries, and a flexible cover and a contact clip that acts as a switch. The LED has a head portion and two contact arms. One of the contact arms is shorter than the other and is displaced at a slight angle relative to the longer contact arm. The LED is received in a seat formed in the housing with the head portion of the diode received in an aperture in the side wall of the housing. The longer contact arm is captured in a channel formed in the bottom wall. The shorter contact arm rests on a shoulder that forms part of the LED seat. A pair of coin cell batteries are received within another seat formed in housing. The lower battery sits on top of the longer contact arm captured in the channel of the bottom wall. A resilient plastic cover is assembled with the housing to maintain the diode and the batteries within the housing.

Claims

1. A flashlight assembly comprising:

a coin cell battery having first and second contact surfaces;

a lighting element having first and second contact leads, wherein at least said first contact lead is shortened,

a frame having a bottom wall and a plurality of wall structures extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said bottom wall and said wall structures cooperating to define a seat for receiving said lighting element and a cavity for receiving said coin cell battery, said plurality of wall structures including a dividing wall that separates said lighting element seat and said battery cavity, said shortened first contact lead being received and supported on said dividing wall when said lighting element is received in said seat;

a cover having a top wall adapted to overlie and substantially close said cavity, said frame and said cover including mating formations that interfittingly engage to retain said frame and said cover in assembled relation; and

an electrically conductive contact member received in assembled relation within said frame and said cover and overlying said dividing wall, said contact member having a first contact surface in fixed electrically conductive engagement with said shortened first contact lead whereby said shortened first contact lead is captured between said dividing wall and said first contact surface of said contact member, said contact member further having a second contact surface electrically engageable with said first contact of said battery.

2. A housing for a flashlight assembly comprising:

a frame including a bottom wall and a plurality of wall structures extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said bottom wall and said wall structures cooperating to define a seat for receiving a lighting element and a cavity adjacent to said seat for receiving a coin cell battery, said plurality of wall structures including a dividing wall that separates said lighting element seat and said battery cavity, said dividing wall supporting at least one shortened contact lead of a lighting element when said lighting element is received in said seat;

a cover having a top wall adapted to overlie and substantially close said cavity, said frame and said cover including mating formations that interfittingly engage to retain said frame and said cover in assembled relation; and

an electrically conductive contact member received in assembled relation within said frame and said cover and overlying said dividing wall, said contact member having a first contact surface receivable in fixed electrically conductive engagement with said at least one shortened contact lead of said lighting element, and further having a second contact surface electrically engageable with a battery.