Faraday flashlight

• US 6,893,141 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cricket Holdings Far East Limited
• Original Assignee: Daka Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Mah, Pat Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Laura K.
• Application Number:
  US10/619,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 362192-194, 362/202, 362/205
• US Class Current: 362/192
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 13/06 with mechanical drive, e.g. spring
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/025 using non-contact coupling, e.g. inductive, capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems

Abstract

A light generating flashlight system device utilizes a large centrally located magnet which is mounted to slide past a magnet pickup or current induction wire which may be preferably mounted at a center point of travel in a tubular housing having a tubular chamber through which the magnet travels. A pair of elastomeric dampers are located each at the end of a support system sleeve which is sized to fit within a main housing to stabilize all internal support within a sealed unit. The result is a device which both facilitates the manual movement of the flashlight body so that the magnet slides past the center magnet pickup or current induction wire, and also conserves the residual momentum of the magnet once it has traveled past the magnet pickup or current induction wire by providing a bumper and spring to conserve some of the mechanical energy going in the other direction. Ninety second of manual activation enables about five minutes of illumination. A ready charger is disclosed which uses induction to charge the flashlight system by proximity to the manual charging magnet wire.

Claims

1. A self contained, manually energizable flashlight comprising:

a magnet having a magnetic field;

a main housing;

a support system sleeve having a first end and a second end, for supporting a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system said support system for quick insertion into and dimensioned sealed carriage into said main housing;

a magnet wire positioned such that said magnet passes by said magnet wire each time said magnet makes said translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system sleeve, energizing said magnet wire from passage of said magnetic field through said magnet wire upon said translating movement of said magnet;

a capacitor for storing an electrical charge;

a light emitting diode;

circuitry connected to said capacitor, said light emitting diode and to said magnet wire for converting said energization of said magnet wire into an electrical charge stored in said capacitor and for providing said electrical charge stored in said capacitor to power said light emitting diode; and

a detachable battery compartment having electrical output connection;

a controller circuit having a power input connected to said electrical output connection and a power output connected to said capacitor for storing an electrical charge.

2. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 wherein said support system sleeve supports said magnet wire.

3. The flashlight as recited in claim 2 wherein said magnet wire is coiled around said support system sleeve.

4. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 wherein said main housing further comprises an annularly cylindrical main housing having an opening, a transparent light transmissive material, and a cap attached to and for closing said transparent light transmissive material against said annularly cylindrical main housing.

5. The flashlight as recited in claim 4 wherein said cap abuttingly secures said transparent light transmissive material.

6. The flashlight as recited in claim 4 wherein said cap helps form an air tight seal with respect to said main housing and said transparent light transmissive material.

7. The flashlight as recited in claim 4 wherein said annularly cylindrical main chamber has a groove adjacent said opening and further comprising an “

o”

ring forming a seal between said groove and said transparent light transmissive material.

8. The flashlight as recited in claim 7 wherein said annularly cylindrical main housing has an outwardly disposed thread adjacent said opening and wherein said cap is a front cap and wherein said front cap further comprises:

a threaded structure having a central opening about an inwardly directed cylindrical surface terminating at a circular butt end, and having an inwardly disposed thread complementary to said outwardly disposed thread; and

wherein said transparent light transmissive material is interposed between said circular butt end and said “

o”

ring supported by said groove adjacent said opening.

9. The flashlight as recited in claim 8 wherein said groove is at least partially circumferentially inwardly disposed.

13. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a walled support for supporting said light emitting diode and said circuitry and connected to said support system sleeve.

14. The flashlight as recited in claim 13 and further comprising a reflector housing for supporting said light emitting diode and said circuitry and connected to said walled support, such that said reflector housing, said walled support and said support system sleeve are of known length and axially fixed and supported within said main housing and secured at least indirectly by said front cap.

15. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a switch interposed between said connection of said capacitor and said light emitting diode for controllably controlling the energization of said light emitting diode.

16. The flashlight as recited in claim 15 wherein said switch interposed between said connection of said capacitor and said light emitting diode is a reed switch operated by a small switching magnet on an outside of said main housing.

17. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

a charging circuit having at least one of a direct current and alternating current input and an output charging coil output in physical proximity to a separate induction coil for providing charging electromotive force to said capacitor from outside said main housing.

18. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

a charging circuit having a direct alternating current input from wall AC outlet for providing charging electromotive force to said capacitor from outside said main housing.

19. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

a charging circuit having at least one of a direct current and alternating current input and an output charging coil output in physical proximity to said magnet wire for providing charging electromotive force to said magnet wire from outside said main housing.

20. The flashlight as recited in claim 17 wherein said charging circuit includes means for initiating the illumination of said light emitting diode upon loss of power to said charging circuit.

25. The flashlight as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller is a trickle charge controller.

10. A self contained, manually energizable flashlight comprising:

a magnet having a magnetic field;

a main housing;

a support system sleeve having a first end and a second end, for supporting a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system said support system for quick insertion into and dimensioned sealed carriage into said main housing;

a magnet wire positioned such that said magnet passes by said magnet wire each time said magnet makes said translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system sleeve, energizing said magnet wire from passage of said magnetic field through said magnet wire upon said translating movement of said magnet;

a capacitor for storing an electrical charge;

a light emitting diode;

circuitry connected to said capacitor, said light emitting diode and to said magnet wire for converting said energization of said magnet wire into an electrical charge stored in said capacitor and for providing said electrical charge stored in said capacitor to tower said light emitting diode; and

a pair of dampers including a first damper located inside and between said first end of said support system sleeve and said magnet and a second damper located inside and between said second end of said support system sleeve and said magnet, for dampening the impact resulting from a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system.

11. The flashlight as recited in claim 10 wherein each damper further comprises a base member having a first side and a second side and having a first angled side wall having a first end extending from said first side of said base member, and having a second end, and having a second angled side wall having a first end extending from said first side of said base member, and having a second end, and a solid member connected at said second ends of said first and second side walls.

12. The flashlight as recited in claim 11 wherein said first and said second side walls are angled to bend toward each other in pinch flexure upon application of axial compressive force between said base member and said solid member.

21. A self contained, manually energizable flashlight comprising:

a magnet having a magnetic field;

a main housing;

a support system sleeve having a first end and a second end, for supporting a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system said support system for quick insertion into and dimensioned sealed carriage into said main housing;

a magnet wire positioned such that said magnet passes by said magnet wire each time said magnet makes said translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system sleeve, energizing said magnet wire from passage of said magnetic field through said magnet wire upon said translating movement of said magnet;

a capacitor for storing an electrical charge;

a first light emitting diode;

circuitry connected to said capacitor, said light emitting diode and to said magnet wire for converting said energization of said magnet wire into an electrical charge stored in said capacitor and for providing said electrical charge stored in said capacitor to power said light emitting diode;

a second light emitting diode carried by said main housing;

a detachable battery compartment having electrical output connection;

a quick charge controller circuit having a power input connected to said electrical output connection and a power output connected to said capacitor for storing an electrical charge.

23. The flashlight as recited in claim 21 wherein saidcontroller is a quick charge controller.

24. The flashlight as recited in claim 21 and further comprising a switch connected between said quick charge controller and said capacitor to control the quick charging of said capacitor.

22. A self contained, manually energizable flashlight comprising:

a magnet having a magnetic field;

a main housing;

a support system sleeve having a first end and a second end, for supporting a translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system said support system for quick insertion into and dimensioned sealed carriage into said main housing;

a magnet wire positioned such that said magnet passes by said magnet wire each time said magnet makes said translating movement of said magnet toward said first end and toward said second end of said support system sleeve, energizing said magnet wire from passage of said magnetic field through said magnet wire upon said translating movement of said magnet;

a capacitor for storing an electrical charge;

a light emitting diode;

circuitry connected to said capacitor, said light emitting diode and to said magnet wire for converting said energization of said magnet wire into an electrical charge stored in said capacitor and for providing said electrical charge stored in said capacitor to power said light emitting diode;

a second light emitting diode carried by said main housing;

a detachable battery compartment having electrical output connection;

a trickle charge controller circuit having a power input connected to said electrical output connection and a power output connected to said capacitor for storing an electrical charge.