Electrical switch, as for controlling a flashlight

• US 9,478,371 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streamlight, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Streamlight, Inc.
• Inventors: Ziegenfuss, Peter J, Snyder, Mark W, Sharrah, Raymond L
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAROC, LHEIREN MAE ANGLO
• Application Number:
  US13/601,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20120326625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 200/1.B
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/18 with subsequent sliding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/48 using buckling of disc springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/64 wherein the switch has more than two electrically distinguishable positions, e.g. multi-position push-button switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/028 Key stroke
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/032 Operating force

Abstract

An electrical switch and a flashlight employing the switch may comprise a base having three electrical conductors thereon and an electrically conductive flexible dome adjacent the base. The flexible dome has plural longer legs extending from its dome and in electrical contact with a first conductor, has a shorter leg extending from its dome and overlying a second conductor, and has its dome overlying a third conductor. A spring may extend from the base of the switch. A pushbutton may be moved to apply sufficient force to cause the shorter leg to contact the second conductor and the dome to contact the third conductor. A spring may be between the pushbutton and the flexible dome to couple force to the flexible dome.

Claims

1. An electrical flashlight comprising:

a housing having a head end and a tail end and having a cavity for receiving a battery;

an electrical light source disposed proximate the head end of said housing; and

a switch disposed on said housing, comprising;

a switch housing;

an actuator displaceable within the switch housing;

a biasing element;

two normally open switch contacts;

a third contact;

an electrically conductive flexible dome, comprising;

a central body;

a plurality of first extensions connected with the central body; and

a second extension connected from the central body;

wherein the biasing element is disposed between the actuator and the flexible dome;

wherein at least one of the first extensions engage the third contact prior to application of a first actuation force and the second extension contacts one of the two switch contacts when the first actuation force is applied to the dome, and wherein the central body closes a second of the normally open switch contacts when a second actuation force is applied to the dome;

wherein the light source is responsive to closure, or opening, or both, of the two switch contacts of the switch for energizing and de-energizing the electrical light source when the battery is present in the cavity of the housing;

wherein the biasing element extends the distance that the actuator is displaced to apply the second actuation force to the dome to close the second of the normally open switch contacts.

2. The electrical flashlight of claim 1 further comprising:

a controller disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical light source and to the battery when a battery is provided in the cavity of the housing, wherein the controller is responsive to the two switch contacts of the switch for selectively coupling electrical power from the battery to the electrical light source.

3. The electrical flashlight of claim 2 wherein the controller is responsive to operation of the switch to control the electrical light source to a sequence of operating modes including at least momentary ON, continuous ON, flashing and OFF operating modes.

4. The electrical flashlight of claim 2 wherein the controller is responsive to operation of the switch to control electrical power to the electrical light source for energizing the electrical light source momentarily, for energizing the electrical light source continuously, for de-energizing the electrical light source, for causing the electrical light source to alternate repetitively between energized and de-energized conditions, for causing the electrical light source to change from a more energized condition to a less energized condition, for causing the electrical light source to change from a less energized condition to a more energized condition, or for any combination of the foregoing.

5. The electrical flashlight of claim 2 wherein the controller is responsive to operation of said switch to control the electrical light source to momentary ON, to continuous ON, to OFF, to flashing, and to dimming operating modes, and optionally to an un-dimming operating mode.

6. The electrical flashlight of claim 2 wherein in response to a momentary closure of the switch, the controller provides a first operating mode until a subsequent closure of the switch occurs.

7. The electrical flashlight of claim 2 wherein the controller responds to operations of the switch to control the light source, wherein the operations of the switch include:

the number of actuations of the switch, the time between actuations of the switch, or the time of continuous actuation of the switch, or combination of the operations.

8. The electrical flashlight of claim 1 wherein the switch includes a base having first, second and third electrical conductors thereon, and further includes:

at least one spring extending from the base to provide an electrical connection to at least one of the first, second and third electrical conductors of the base;

or

two concentric springs extending in a direction generally parallel to a plane defined by the base.

9. The electrical flashlight of claim 1 wherein the switch comprises:

a pushbutton switch disposed proximate the head end of said housing;

or

a pushbutton switch disposed proximate the tail end of said housing;

or

a first pushbutton switch disposed proximate the head end of the housing and a second pushbutton switch disposed proximate the tail end of the housing.

10. The electrical flashlight of claim 1 wherein the switch further comprises:

an actuator movable for exerting force on the flexible dome thereof via the biasing element, wherein the actuator moves a distance for closing the normally open contacts of the flexible dome that is substantially longer than an actuating distance of the flexible dome.

11. The electrical flashlight of claim 1 wherein application of the first actuation force deforms at least one of the plurality of first extensions so that the second extension contacts one of the two switch contacts.

12. An electrical flashlight comprising:

a housing having a head end and a tail end and having a cavity for receiving a battery;

an electrical light source disposed proximate the head end of said housing; and

a switch disposed on said housing, comprising;

a switch housing;

an actuator displaceable within the switch housing;

a biasing element;

two normally open switch contacts;

an electrically conductive flexible dome, comprising;

a central body;

a plurality of first extensions connected with the central body; and

a second extension connected from the central body;

wherein the biasing element is disposed between the actuator and the flexible dome;

wherein application of a first actuation force to the dome deforms at least one of the first extension so that the second extension contacts one of the two switch contacts, and wherein the central body closes a second of the normally open switch contact when a second actuation force is applied to the dome;

wherein the light source is responsive to closure, or opening, or both, of the two switch contacts of the switch for energizing and de-energizing the electrical light source when the battery is present in the cavity of the housing;

wherein the biasing element extends the distance that the actuator is displaced to apply the second actuation force to the dome to close the second of the normally open switch contacts.