Flashlight with multiple light sources

• US 9,074,739 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deighton, Kevin, Kang, Sukwon, Tang, Laichang
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US13/345,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 362/183, 362/184, 362/197, 362/199, 362/202, 362/205, 362/236, 362/247, 362/208
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/08 characterised by means for in situ recharging of the batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A flashlight includes a housing for receiving a battery; a first light supported by the housing, the first light configured to emit light in a first direction; a second light supported by the housing, the second light configured to emit light in a second direction that is non-parallel with the first direction; and an actuation switch configured for selectively powering the first light and the second light with the battery received in the housing.

Claims

1. A flashlight comprising:

a housing, the housing comprising a back surface facing opposite to a first direction, the back surface having a longitudinal dimension extending from a first end of the housing to a second end of the housing opposite to the first end, and a horizontal dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, wherein the longitudinal dimension is greater than the horizontal dimension;

a first light supported by the housing, the first light configured to emit light in the first direction;

a second light supported by the housing, the second light configured to emit light in a second direction that is non-parallel with the first direction;

a reflector, the reflector containing the first light and the second light, wherein the first light and the second light are received in the reflector such that the first direction and the second direction are transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the back surface;

a lens provided on the housing and facing the first direction, the lens having a diameter, wherein the horizontal dimension of the back surface is greater than the diameter of the lens;

a clip extending along the longitudinal dimension of the back surface; and

an actuation switch configured to selectively power the first light and the second light when a battery is received in the housing.

2. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the second direction is angled at between zero and 180 degrees, exclusive, to the first direction.

3. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the second direction is angled at 45 degrees to the first direction.

4. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first light and the second light comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

5. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the second light comprises a plurality of lights.

6. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the flashlight is a right-angle flashlight.

7. The flashlight of claim 1, further comprising:

a fastening member coupled to the housing for fastening the flashlight to a user.

8. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the back surface.

9. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the side surface comprises a plurality of ridges.

10. The flashlight of claim 1, further comprising:

a first printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the first light;

a second PCB coupled to the second light; and

a heat sink contacting the first PCB but not the second PCB.

11. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the horizontal dimension along the entire back surface is greater than the diameter of the lens.

12. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the reflector faces the first direction.

13. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the lens is provided adjacent to the reflector along the first direction.

14. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the actuation switch is configured for selecting a mode of operation for the flashlight.

15. The flashlight of claim 14,

wherein in a first mode each of the first light and the second light emit light;

and

wherein in a second mode only one of the first light and the second light emit light.

16. The flashlight of claim 14, wherein the actuation switch is arranged above the first light and the second light.

17. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the reflector is a hyperbolic reflector.

18. The flashlight of claim 17, wherein the reflector reflects the light emitted by both the first light and the second light.

19. The flashlight of claim 17, wherein the reflector is arranged within the housing.

20. A flashlight comprising:

a housing;

a first light supported by the housing for emitting light in the first direction, the first light being coupled to a first printed circuit board (PCB);

a second light supported by the housing for emitting light in a second direction that is non-parallel with the first direction, the second light being coupled to a second PCB;

an actuation switch configured to selectively power the first light and the second light when a battery is received in the housing, wherein the first light and the second light are received in a same reflector; and

a heat sink contacting the first PCB but not the second PCB.

21. A method of manufacturing a flashlight, the method comprising:

providing a housing, the housing comprising a back surface facing opposite to a first direction, the back surface having a longitudinal dimension extending from a first end of the housing to a second end of the housing opposite to the first end, and a horizontal dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, wherein the longitudinal dimension is greater than the horizontal dimension;

arranging a first light to be supported by the housing, the first light configured to emit light in the first direction;

arranging a second light to be supported by the housing, the second light configured to emit light in a second direction that is non-parallel with the first direction;

providing a reflector in which the first light and the second light are provided, wherein the first light and the second light are provided in the reflector such that the first direction and the second direction are transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the back surface;

providing a lens on the housing and facing the first direction, the lens having a diameter, wherein the horizontal dimension is greater than the diameter;

arranging a clip to be extending along the longitudinal dimension of the back surface; and

configuring an actuation switch for selectively power the first light and the second light when a battery is received in the housing.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing a first printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the first light;

providing a second PCB coupled to the second light; and

providing a heat sink to contact the first PCB but not the second PCB.