Renewable energy flashlight

• US 7,232,238 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RSGA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: RSGA International Incorporated
• Inventors: Long, Jon Darin, Tianming, Qian
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranson, Jr.; James W
• Application Number:
  US11/199,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 362/192, 362/157
• US Class Current: 362/192
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 13/06 with mechanical drive, e.g. spring
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A renewable energy flashlight employing a pair of elastomagnetic repulsion members to assist in reciprocating a charging magnet passing through surrounding induction coils to enhance the efficiency of manually charging a capacitor to power an LED lens amplified flashlight.

Claims

1. A renewable energy flashlight comprising:

a. a main housing with an opening at one end leading into an interior chamber and a closed end,

b. a cylindrical tubular carriage sized to fit and be inserted within the main housing interior chamber, said carriage defining an internal transverse chamber with a first end, and a second end,

c. support structure associated with the main housing and/or tubular carriage for holding electrical components proximate the opening of the main housing,

d. a charging magnet having a magnetic field mounted within the internal transverse chamber structured to hold the charging magnet for lateral transversing movement between the first end and second end of the carriage unit,

e. a pair of elastomagnetic repulsion members, each elastomagnetic repulsion member comprised of an elastic rebounding material reflexively seeded with at least one internal magnet, one of the elastomagnetic repulsion members mounted to the first end of the carriage unit in polar opposition to the charging magnet and the other mounted to the second end of the carriage unit in polar opposition to the charging magnet, wherein the rebound material of the elastomagnetic repulsion member is first compressed until the charging magnet is slowed in the proximity of the at least one seeded internal magnet, the charging magnet is then rebounded both elastically and magnetically between the elastomagnetic repulsion members,

f. at least one induction coil wrapped around the tubular carriage such that the charging magnet may pass completely through the induction coil during each transverse pass to induce current through the induction coil,

g. a capacitor operably associated with the induction coil for storage of electric current generated by the induction coil,

h. a light emitting diode mounted on the structure,

i. a convex magnifying lens covering and ceiling the opening of the housing, and

j. circuitry mounted on the support structure and connected to the capacitor, the light emitting diode and the induction coil to selectively charge the capacitor in one mode and discharge the capacitor to power the diode in the other mode.

2. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 1, including shielding surrounding the tubular carriage.

3. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 2, wherein the shielding comprises a housing constructed of a magnetically impervious material.

4. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 2, wherein the shielding comprises a conductive coating applied to the interior of the housing surrounding the tubular carriage.

5. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 1, including a concave reflective mirror surrounding the light emitting diode structured to capture and direct light through the lens.

6. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the components are sealed within the housing forming a water impervious flashlight.

7. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 5, wherein the circuitry includes a reed switch mounted to the exterior of the housing.

8. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 5, wherein the flashlight has a density less than water.

9. A renewable energy flashlight according to claim 1, wherein the elastomagnetic repulsion members are constructed of silicone.