Portable lighting devices

• US 8,975,822 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAG Instrument Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MAG Instrument Incorporated
• Inventors: Maglica, Anthony, West, Stacey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/398,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 315/200.A, 315/160, 315/209.R, 315/224, 315/298, 315/293, 315/314, 315/307
• US Class Current: 315/200.A
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/045 Pocket lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/047 by using spare light sources comprised in or attached to the lighting device and being intended to replace a defect light source by manual mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/006 the substrate being distinct from the light source holder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/009 the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0428 the switch being part of, or disposed on the lamp head portion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work

Abstract

A flashlight having a locking mechanism for securing a head skirt to a head assembly is disclosed. A circuit for temporarily remember the mode of operation of the flashlight is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A flashlight, comprising:

a light source;

a main power source that has a limited life cycle, and that provides power from a high voltage range to a low voltage range during the life cycle;

a light source driving circuit for transferring power from the main power source to the light source;

a microcontroller having an output coupled to the light source driving circuit, wherein the microcontroller provides a duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit, and wherein the duty cycle signal decreases during the life cycle of the main power source.

2. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein:

the main power source has a high voltage range, a medium voltage range and a low voltage range during the life cycle, and

the microcontroller provides a high duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit when the main power source is in the high voltage range, the microcontroller provides a gradually decreasing duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit when the main power source is in the medium voltage range; and

the microcontroller provides a low duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit when the main power source is in the low voltage range.

3. The flashlight of claim 2, wherein:

the high and medium voltage ranges intersect at a first checking voltage, and the medium and low voltage ranges intersect at a second checking voltage, and

the microcontroller provides a high duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit when the main power source is above the first checking voltage, the microcontroller provides a gradually declining duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit when the main power source is between the first and second checking voltages, and the microcontroller provides a low duty cycle signal to the light source lamp driving circuit when the main power source is below the second checking voltage.

4. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller provides different duty cycle signals to the light source driving circuit based on a calculation of a power profile.

5. The flashlight of claim 4, wherein the calculation of the power profile is based on the type of battery used in the flashlight.

6. A flashlight comprising:

a light source;

a main power source having a limited life cycle, wherein the main power source provides power in a high voltage range, a middle voltage range, and a low voltage range during the life cycle, wherein the intersection between the high voltage range and the middle voltage range represents a first checking voltage, and wherein the intersection between the middle voltage range and the low voltage range represents a second checking voltage;

a light source driving circuit for transferring power from the main power source to the light source; and

a microcontroller having an output coupled to the light source driving circuit, wherein when the voltage of the main power source is higher than the first checking voltage, the microcontroller provides a high duty cycle signal to the lamp driving circuit to provide a high duty cycle power to the light source, wherein when the voltage of the main power source is lower than the first checking voltage and higher than the second checking voltage, the microcontroller gradually declines the duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit to provide gradually declined power to the light source, wherein when the voltage of the main power source is lower than the second checking point, the microcontroller provides a low duty cycle signal to the light source driving circuit to provide a low duty cycle power to the light source.

7. The flashlight of claim 6, wherein the microcontroller provides different duty cycle signals to the light source driving circuit to provide different levels of power to the light source based on a calculation of a power profile.

8. The flashlight of claim 7, wherein the calculation of the power profile is based on a programmable cell count value set during the manufacturing of the flashlight.

9. The flashlight of claim 7, wherein the calculation of the power profile is based on the type of battery used with the main power circuit.

10. A flashlight of claim 6, wherein the high duty cycle is 100%.

11. A flashlight of claim 6, wherein the low duty cycle is 10%.

12. A flashlight of claim 6, wherein the gradually declined duty cycle is between 90% and 10%.