US3631236A

US3631236A - Flashlight

Info

Publication number: US3631236A
Application number: US51439A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter J Woytowich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-01
Filing date: 1970-07-01
Publication date: 1971-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-28

Abstract

A miniature flashlight particularly adapted for illuminating confined spaces, in which a beam of light is produced at right angles to the axis of the flashlight. The flashlight has a cylindrical case that is provided at one end with a U-shaped clip, the clip being formed to hold a bulb in transverse position in contact with a battery in the case. A switch is slidably attached to the case for completing an electrical circuit between the bulb and the battery.

Description

United States Patent [72] inventor WIHQI'J. Woytowich 2,387,144 10/1945 Gey 240/106 Box 338, Deep River, Ontario, Canada 2,528,701 11/1950 Mitchell.. 240/ 10.65 [21] Appl. No. 51,439 2,600,418 6/1952 Muller 240/1061 [22] Filed July 1, 1970 2,798,148 7/1957 Di Lizio et al. 240/64 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 2,937,266 5/1960 Munro 240/1068 Primary ExaminerL0uis J. Capozi [54] FLASHLIGBT Attorney-Rogers, Bereskin & Parr 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11,5,(1 240/l0.67, ABSTRACT: A miniature flashlight particularly adapted for 240/10.61,240/10.66 illuminating confined spaces, in which a beam of light is [51] lutJ" F21I7/00 produced at right angles to the axis of the flashlight. The [50] Field of Search 240110.15, flashlight has a cylindrical case that is provided at one end 10.61, 10.66, 10.67, 10.68, 6.4 with a U-shaped clip, the clip being formed to hold a bulb in transverse position in contact with a battery in the case. A Rdflfllm CM switch is slidably attached to the case for completing an elec- UNITED STATES PATENTS trical circuit between the bulb and the battery. 1,900,348 3/1933 Jones et a]. 240/10.67

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I NVILNI (JR; WALTE R J. WOYTOWICH I BY FLASHLIGHT This invention relates to an improved miniature flashlight that is particularly suitable for illuminating confined spaces.

Flashlights of the conventional kind, wherein a beam of light is produced which is coaxial with the axis of the flashlight, are not particularly convenient for use in illuminating confined spaces since the user must look along the length of the flashlight to see into the space, and his view is obscured to some extent by the flashlight.

The flashlight of the present invention produces a beam of light which is at right angles to the axis of the flashlight is simple to construct and has no threaded connections.

A preferred form of the invention comprises a cylindrical longitudinal case adapted to house at least one battery; a U- shaped clip having ends adapted to lock inside slots formed at one end of said case, said clip being shaped to hold a bulb in a transverse position in contact with said battery, and a switch slidably attached to the case for completing an electrical circuit whereby the bulb may be energized with current from the battery.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a flashlight according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the flashlight;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view on line 3-3; and

FIG. 4 and 5 are perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 and 2. A flashlight, generally indicated by the numeral 10, consists of an electrically conductive cylindrical case 12 that is slotted at one end for releasably receiving a U-shaped clip 14. The U-shaped clip 14 retains a conventional bulb 16 in a generally transverse position. The bulb 16 is preferably at right angles to the axis of the case 12 and the bulb 16 is activated by operating a slidable switch 18 which is guided by a ring 20 attached to the case 12.

The lower end of the cylindrical case 12 is formed with an end lip 22 which extends radially inwardly to support a compression spring 24 for biasing a pair of batteries 26 (FIG. 2) towards the bulb 16. The upper end of the case 12 has a semicircular recess 28 for accommodating the leading end of the bulb 16. A pair of diametrically opposed

thin slots

32 and 34 are formed in the case 12 near its upper end for receiving the U-shaped clip 14 which has a pair of

tabs

38 and 40 adapted to snap into the

slots

32 and 34 respectively. The outer surface of the tube 12 is electrically insulated to prevent electrical short-circuiting. The case 12 is preferably of aluminum, which can be anodized to provide the required insulating surface. A contact area 36 (the purpose of which will be explained later) is formed in the insulated outer surface of the case 12 (e.g. by scraping away the anodized layer). The contact area 36 lies in the same relative angular position on the case 12 as the circular recess 30.

When the U-shaped clip 14 is positioned in the

slots

32 and 34 of the case 12, it snugly engages the bulb 16. The bulb 16 is prevented from moving out of the U-shaped clip 14 by a pair of inwardly facing

flanges

42 and 44 formed on the bight of the U-shaped clip 14.

The ring 20 is fixed to the case 12 but does not make electrical contact therewith (epoxy cement or the like can be used for this purpose). The ring 20 is formed with an outwardly extending protuberance 46 which defines an internal slot 48 for slidably receiving the switch 18. The longitudinal position of the ring 20 on the case 12 is determined by the shape of the switch 18 since the ring 20 forms a stop for the switch, as described below.

The switch 18 is fonned from a thin strip of spring steel so that it can be used as a pocket clip. The switch 18 includes a longitudinal portion 50, a transverse portion 52, and an angled portion 54 which makes an acute angle with the transverse portion 52. The portion 54 terminates in a bend 55 which curves round to an angled lip 56. The portion 54 is knurled to facilitate movement of the switch by a users finger or thumb.

The longitudinal portion 50 of the clip 18 includes a relatively large detent 58 near its upper end and a smaller detent 60 near its lower end. The

detents

58 and 60 help to give the switch 18 a positive action. In FIG. 2 the switch 18 is in the "on" position and both

detents

58 and 60 are outside the ring 20. In this position the transverse portion 52 of the switch 18 prevents further upward movement of the switch relative to the ring 20 and locates the switch 18 with the bend 55 at the contact area 36 of the case 12. When the switch is moved downwardly into an off" position indicated by the dotted outline in FIG. 2, the smaller detent passes inside the ring 20 and provides some frictional resistance to help retain the switch 18 in the off" position. The larger detent 58 limits the downward movement of the switch 18 by contacting the upper edge of the ring 20. The smaller detent 60 also gives the switch a more positive feel since when the switch is moved to the on position, the smaller detent 60 moves out from the ring 20 with a slight snap action.

In the off position, as shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2, the switch 18 is in contact with contact 62 of the bulb 16 but it is not in electrical contact with the case 12 since it rests on the insulation 63 (FIG. 3). To complete the circuit and activate the bulb 16, the switch 18 is moved longitudinally towards the bulb and into the on" position shown in FIG. 2 where it is in contact with an end contact 62 of the bulb l6 and the tube contact area 36 (FIG. 1). When the switch is in any position other than the "on" position, the bend 55 rests on the insulation 62 (FIG. 3).

To assemble the flashlight, the batteries 26 are placed in the case 12, bulb 16 is placed in the circular recesses 28 and 30, and the U-shaped clip 14 is locked in the

slots

32 and 34. The bulb is pushed firmly against the clip 14 by the pressure of the biasing spring 4. The conventional batteries 26 are preferably placed in the case 12 with their projecting terminals 61 towards a side contact 63 (FIG. 1) of the bulb 16.

The flashlight is very simple to construct and produces a light beam which is at right angles to its main axis. This allows a user to grip the case 12 and place his eye immediately behind the bulb 16 so that he can see into confined spaces such as small diameter holes, etc. When not in use, the flashlight can be stored in the user's pocket and the switch 18 then acts as a clip to hold the flashlight in the pocket. With the clip in this position, the user's pocket acts as an insulator, separating the switch 18 from the contact area 36, thereby ensuring that the flashlight is off when the flashlight is stored in this manner.

Instead of using a separate ring 20 for retaining the switch 18, it will be understood that the case 12 can be formed with an open-ended channel to serve the same function as the protuberance 46. The inside of such channel as well as its edges would of course have to be insulated from the switch 18.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which shows an alternative embodiment comprising a ring 65 which is adapted to be attached to the upper end of cylindrical case 12a. The ring 65 includes a protuberance which forms a slot for guiding the switch 18 and the ring 65 has upward

extensions

66, 67 at either side of the protuberance. A pair of

slots

68 and 69 are provided in the

upward extensions

66, 67 for receiving the clip 14 (FIG. 1) and a semicircular recess 71 is provided in the upper edge of the ring 65 diametrically opposite the protuberance 70 for supporting the bulb 16. FIG. 5 shows the assembled flashlight.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A flashlight comprising:

a. an electrically conductive case, said case being dimensioned to receive at least one battery, said case making electrical contact with one terminal of said battery when said battery is in place in said case, said battery having a second terminal of opposite polarity to said one terminal;

b. bulb retaining means positioned at an end of said case for holding a bulb with the axis of said bulb transverse to the axis of said case, said bulb having a side contact and an end contact, said side contact being electrically connected to said second terminal of said battery when said bulb is in place in said retaining means; and

c. a switch slidably attached to said case, said switch having a first contact and a second contact, said first and second contacts being electrically connected to each other, and said switch being slidable between a first position in which said first contact is in position for electrical connection with said end contact of said bulb when said bulb is in place in said retaining means and said second contact is electrically connected to said case, and a second position in which said switch is insulated from said case.

2. A flashlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein said case has a nonconductive outer surface, said outer surface having a conductive contact area which is positioned so that said second contact of said switch is in electrical contact therewith in the first position of the switch.

3. A flashlight as claimed in claim 2 wherein said outer surface is anodized, except in the region of said contact area.

4. A flashlight as claimed in claim 2 wherein said end of said case includes a pair of diametrically opposed recesses for receiving said bulb and said case has a pair of diametrically opposed slots near said end, and wherein said bulb retaining means comprises a U-shaped clip having outwardly extending tabs for engaging in said slots, said clip being adapted to retain said bulb against said case recesses with the axis of said bulb at right-angle to the axis of said case when said tabs are in said slots.

5. A flashlight as claimed in claim 4 which further includes a ring fixed to said case between said contact area and said case end, said ring being electrically insulated from said case and said ring including a longitudinal slot for slidably receiving said switch between said outer surface of said case and said electrically insulated ring.

6. A flashlight as claimed in claim 5, wherein said switch comprises:

l. a longitudinal portion having said first contact near one end, said longitudinal portion being slidably mounted in said longitudinal slot of said ring;

2. a transverse portion extending outwardly of said case from the opposite end of said longitudinal portion;

3. an angled portion attached at one end to the outer end of said transverse portion, said angled portion terminating at its opposite end in a bend which forms said second contact.

7. A flashlight as claimed in claim 6 wherein said longitudinal portion of said switch is formed with a relatively large detent near said first contact, and a small detent between said large detent and said opposite end of said longitudinal portion, said large detent being sufficiently large to act as a stop against said ring for defining the second position of said switch, said smaller detent being outside said ring when said switch is in said first position, and said small detent being inside said ring and bearing against the inner surface thereof when said switch is in any position other than said first position to thereby frictionally engage said ring and give said switch a positive action.

8. A flashlight as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bulb retaining means comprises a U-shaped clip having outwardly extending tabs, and wherein said flashlight further includes a ring fixed to said case between said contact area and said case end, said ring having a pair of opposed extensions which project beyond the said end of said case, said extensions including including diametrically opposed slots for receiving said tabs to hold said retaining means in position with said side contact of said bulb in contact with said second terminal of said battery, said ring being electrically insulated from said case.

9. A flashlight as claimed in claim 8 wherein said ring further includes a longitudinal slot for slidably receiving said switch between said outer surface of said case and said electrically insulated ring.

10. A flashlight as claimed in claim 9, wherein said switch comprises:

1. a longitudinal portion having said first contact near one end, said longitudinal portion being slidably mounted in said longitudinal slot of said ring;

2. a transverse portion extending outwardly of said case from the opposite end of said longitudinal ortion; 3. an angled portion attached at one end tot e outer end of said transverse portion, said angled portion terminating at its opposite end in a bend which forms said second contact. 11. A flashlight as claimed in claim 10 wherein said longitudinal portion of said switch is formed with a relatively large detent near said first contact, and a small detent between said large detent and said opposite end of said longitudinal portion, said large detent being sufficiently large to act as a stop against said ring for defining the second position of said switch, said smaller detent being outside said ring when said switch is in said first position, and said small detent being inside said ring and bearing against the inner surface there of when said switch is in any position other than said first position to thereby frictionally engage said ring and give said switch a positive action.

Claims

1. A flashlight comprising: a. an electrically conductive case, said case being dimensioned to receive at least one battery, said case making electrical contact with one terminal of said battery when said battery is in place in said case, said battery having a second terminal of opposite polarity to said one terminal; b. bulb retaining means positioned at an end of said case for holding a bulb with the axis of said bulb transverse to the axis of said case, said bulb having a side contact and an end contact, said side contact being electrically connected to said second terminal of said battery when said bulb is in place in said retaining means; and c. a switch slidably attached to said case, said switch having a first contact and a second contact, said first and second contacts being electrically connected to each other, and said switch being slidable between a first position in which said first contact is in position for electrical connection with said end contact of said bulb when said bulb is in place in said retaining means and said second contact is electrically connected to said case, and a second position in which said switch is insulated from said case.

6. A flashlight as claimed in claim 5, wherein said switch comprises:

10. A flashlight as claimed in claim 9, wherein said switch comprises:

11. A flashlight as claimed in claim 10 wherein said longitudinal portion of said switch is formed with a relatively large detent near said first contact, and a small detent between said large detent and said opposite end of said longitudinal portion, said large detent being sufficiently large to act as a stop against said ring for defining the second position of said switch, said smaller detent being outside said ring when said switch is in said first position, and said small detent being inside said ring and bearing against the inner surface there of when said switch is in any position other than said first position to thereby frictionally engage said ring and give said switch a positive action.