LED flashlight with side panels inside structure

• US 6,857,757 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• 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., Reeves, W. Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Application Number:
  US10/446,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 362/116, 362/200, 362/800, 362/205, 362/191, 362/398
• US Class Current: 362/196
• 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;

an elongate, generally flat structure enclosing at least a portion of the light source at one end and having a power source receiving cavity therein which encloses at least a portion of the power source

at least one panel adjacent the structure and the power source receiving cavity therein and within the outer periphery of the structure and on one side of the power source to enclose and protect the power source; and

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

2. The flashlight as in claim 1 wherein the at least one panel further comprises a pair of panels disposed within the structure on opposing sides of the power source.

3. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise generally parallel panels.

4. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise a generally rectilinear shape.

5. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise aluminum.

6. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise brass.

7. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise plastic.

8. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise die stamped metal.

9. The flashlight as in claim 2 wherein the pair of panels further comprise an air cushion that protects the light source and power source.

23. The flashlight of claim 1 wherein said light source is a light emitting diode.

10. A flashlight comprising:

a light source;

a power source having a generally flat shape;

an elongate, generally flat structure enclosing at least a portion of the light source at one end and having a power source receiving cavity therein which encloses at least a portion of the power source;

a first panel disposed adjacent the structure on a first side of the generally flat power source to enclose and protect the power source; and

a switch disposed within the structure and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source.

11. The flashlight as in claim 10 wherein the at least one panel further comprises a pair of panels disposed within the structure on opposing sides of the power source.

12. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise generally parallel panels.

13. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise a generally rectilinear shape.

14. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise aluminum.

15. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise brass.

16. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise plastic.

17. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise die stamped metal.

18. The flashlight as in claim 11 wherein the pair of panels further comprise an air cushion that protects the light source and power source.

24. The flashlight of claim 10 wherein said light source is a light emitting diode.

19. A flashlight comprising:

a light source;

a power source having a generally flat shape that defines a predominant plane of the power source;

a structure also having a generally flat shape parallel to the predominant plane of the power source, said structure having an outer periphery, enclosing at least a portion of the light source at one end of said structure and having a power source receiving cavity which encloses at least a portion of the power source, said light source being disposed on the outer periphery of the structure with the light source oriented so that light is emitted outwards from the outer periphery, parallel to the predominant plane;

a pair of generally flat panels disposed adjacent the structure on opposing sides of the generally flat power source parallel to the predominant plane of the power source; and

a switch disposed on one of the pair of panels of the flashlight and operable to close a circuit including the light source and the power source.

20. The flashlight as in claim 19 wherein the pair of panels further comprise a generally rectilinear shape.

21. The flashlight as in claim 19 wherein the pair of panels further comprise die stamped metal.

22. The flashlight as in claim 19 wherein the pair of panels further comprise an air cushion that protects the light source and power source.

25. The flashlight of claim 19 wherein said light source is a light emitting diode.