US3835310A - Flashlight - Google Patents

Flashlight Download PDF

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Publication number
US3835310A
US3835310A US00288616A US28861672A US3835310A US 3835310 A US3835310 A US 3835310A US 00288616 A US00288616 A US 00288616A US 28861672 A US28861672 A US 28861672A US 3835310 A US3835310 A US 3835310A
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United States
Prior art keywords
arrangement
spring
terminal
flashlight
battery
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00288616A
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English (en)
Inventor
R Koder
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VARTA AG
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VARTA AG
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Publication date
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Publication of US3835310A publication Critical patent/US3835310A/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21L—LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF, BEING PORTABLE OR SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TRANSPORTATION
    • F21L2/00—Systems of electric lighting devices

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an improved flashlight, and particularly to an improved construction, and improved on-off switching means, for disposable flashlights susceptible of mass production.
  • Austrian Pat. No. 139,941 discloses an electrical pocket flashlight with replaceable batteries, whose housing, which is made of insulating material, contains both in its bottom and in its lid a spring-like metal strip.
  • the one in the lid is connected directly to the lamp holder and is also connectible by means of a switching device to the free terminal of a battery or of an individual battery cell.
  • the one in the bottom of the housing urges the battery or battery cells against the lamp or switch contact and also forms a connector bridging the various cells to one another.
  • Such a pocket flashlight is also not suitable for mass production, because even slight bending of the connector strip leads to a lack of contact surface, leaving only the possibility of an edgewise or lineal engagement.
  • a further disadvantage is that the strip used to conduct the battery current must have a very special curvature and, since there is no provision for maintaining a specific positional relationship to the other connector strip, firm and reliable contact-making is not assured.
  • a flashlight arrangement having a battery chamber containing a battery with standard positive and negative terminal blades, and an upper or head portion attached (preferably non-detachably) to the battery chamber and containing the flashlight lamp, a resilient connector strip, or spring, and an on-off switch device. Reciprocating movement of the switch device. alternately urges the end of the connector spring into engagement with a battery terminal blade, or releases it from such engagement.
  • the portion of thespring which thus engages the terminal blade is preferably in the form of a nearly closed loop, thus forming acurved surface reliably capable of area-contact with the battery blade.
  • the two terminal blades can be the kind conforming to [EC -3Rl2 DIN 40 868, which are susceptible of being mounted fully automatically and without any special shaping in the portion of the flashlight housing serving as the battery chamber.
  • FIG. 1 shows an elevation view, partly in crosssection, of a battery operated flashlight with both open and closed switch contacts
  • FIG. 2' shows a bottom view of the flashlight head, including the switch connector spring, which simultaneously constitutes the lamp holder;
  • FIG. 3 is a top view of the battery operated flashlight without the slide switch
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the junction between the battery chamber and the flashlight head
  • FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the flashlight head showing an alternate form of switch connector springs
  • FIG. 6 is a bottom view of just the switch connector spring, but in still another alternate form. V v
  • the battery operated flashlight consists of two main sub-assemblies.
  • One of these comprises the battery chamber 1, preferably made of plastic, which encloses battery cells 2, collectively provided in known fashion with a short positive terminal blade 3 and a longer negative blade 4. These terminal blades are preferably separated from the battery cells by an insulating flap 5 to preclude short-circuiting of the individual cells.
  • the other main sub-assembly comprises the illuminating head 6, preferably made of plastic, and attached to chamber 1 in some suitable manner, such as the snap-in joint shown in.FIG. 4.
  • the head 6 preferably has a sloping, narrow edge to which a switch 7 is attached.
  • Optimal illuminating capability is achieved by a parabolic, highly polished reflective light emissive surface 9, at whose focal point lamp 10 is positioned.
  • the on and off positions of slide switch 7 are defined by two recesses 11 in its underside disposed transversely to the direction of sliding movement. These recesses 11 may be of hemispherical form, or in the form of slots of semicircular cross-section. At each extremity of the movement of slide 7 a resilient protuberance engages the appropriate recess 11, so that stable switch positions prevail.
  • FIG. 3 shows a U-shaped cut-out l6 defining a resilient plate at whose end the engaging protuberance 12 is positioned.
  • FIGS.,1 and 2 also show a connector spring 8, which is attached to the head by means of two blind rivets 13 and laterally guided by a vertical rib 14.
  • the lower extremity of rib 14 also presses down on blade 3 of battery 2, so that reliable positioning of that blade relative to connector spring 8 is assured.
  • the lid is made of plastic, the rivets by means of which the connector spring 8 is attached to the upper portion may be heat setting bling rivets.
  • This connector spring 8 is preferably under slight tension tending to urge its hook-shaped end away from engagement with terminal blade 3, and against stop 7a protruding inwardly into the flashlight head from slide switch 7. In the position of slide switch 7 and connector spring 8 shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, the hooked endof the spring is'out of contact with terminal blade 3, whereas movement of slide switch 7 to the position shown in broken lines depresses spring 8 into the positions also shown in broken lines, and establishes contact with terminal blade 3.
  • the connector spring 8 also serves as lamp holder for lamp l0, engaging the outer threaded portion of its base. On the other hand, the end terminal 15 of lamp 10 rests upon battery blade 4, thereby completing the electrical circuit connection within the flashlight.
  • attachment between battery chamber 1 and illuminating head 6 may be effected by means of mating corrugations l7 encircling the outer edge of the battery chamber and the inner edge of the illuminating head.
  • the illuminating head portion is preferably molded of asingle piece of plastic, including the vertical rib 14.
  • the vertical rib 14 As shown in FIG. 2, for maximum strength that rib preferably extends all the way across the narrow interior width of the head position. However, near the bottom end, it has a vertical slot, for receiving the connector spring 8. This slot has to be narrow enough so that, at the bottom .end of the rib 14, its edges engage terminal blade 3 and hold that blade down, away frompossible unwanted engagement with spring 8.
  • the connector spring 8 may have a narrowed-down mid-section 8a (see FIG. 2), in which it is not as wide as in the remainder of its length.
  • FIG. 5 shows the adaptation of the invention to a bayonet-base flashlight lamp.
  • the connector spring 8 again serves as the lamp holder, but, insteadof a threaded lamp receiving opening, it has a smooth opening with two diametrically opposed notches 8b and 80, through which to insert the lugs which protrude from a bayonettype lamp base. Also, azimuthally displaced from these notches 8b and 8c, there are depressions 8d and 82, for engaging the lugs in question, thereby retaining the lamp fixedly positioned within the holder formed by spring 8.
  • FIG. 8 shows still another lamp holder arrangement utilizing spring 8, this one being, as were FIGS. 1 and 2, for a threaded base lamp.
  • the inner circumference of the lamp receiving aperture in opening 8 is formed into several azimuthally spaced protrusions such as 8f, 8g and 8h.
  • these protrusions yield somewhat when a lamp is pushed into that aperture and then engage the grooves in the threads of the base.
  • the lamp can be inserted by simply pressing it into the aperture in spring 8, without any need for twisting or turning. This is obviously advantageous for automated assembly. 1
  • the invention is not limited to that particular form.
  • a single rivet, positioned between the lamp and the hooked end would also suffice.
  • the extension of spring 8 beyond the lampholder aperture would then not be necessary.
  • Other conventional connector means between the battery chamber and the head portion of the flashlight may be provided, including some which permit disand reassembly of the flashlight. If a disassemblable arrangement is used, then the battery cells 2 need not necessarily be unreplaceable.
  • the lamp 10 is preferably positioned as close to the center of the flashlight as the length of terminal blade 4 reasonably permits. In that case, however, it becomes possible to assemble the battery chamber and head portions with a rotation of one of them leading to the further possibility that the lamp may be constantly lit, or even cause a short circuit between the positive and negative battery terminal blades. This can be averted by either positioning the lamp far enough away from the hooked end of spring 8 so that even the above-mentioned 180 rotation has no adverse effect, or else constructing the flashlight housing in such a manner that assembly in mutually rotated positions is not feasible.
  • the latter may be accomplished in any conventional manner, as, for example, by means of a tongue protruding vertically downward from the bottom edge of the head portion wall, and a notch in the battery chamber wall in such a position that the tongue and notch can mate only in the desired relative orientations. 5
  • An on-off switching arrangement for a batteryoperated flashlight comprising:
  • a resilient connector spring positioned inside said flashlight, said connector spring having an end portion in the shape of a reentrant hook;
  • said guiding means restraining said spring from lateral displacement in its said deflection and consisting of a slot member open at one end, said spring being narrow enough to be received and deflected within said slot, and said slot being narrower than said terminal at said open end so that said member bears on said terminal at the open end of the slot to maintain said terminal in predetermined spaced relation to said first position.
  • said spring constitutes the electrical connector means between said base and said battery terminal.
  • said detent means comprises at least one recess in the underside of said slide switch, and a resilient protruberance engaging said recess in one of said displaced positions.
  • said flashlight has two major subassemblies, one being the battery containing chamber and the other the illuminating head.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Arrangement Of Elements, Cooling, Sealing, Or The Like Of Lighting Devices (AREA)
  • Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)
  • Secondary Cells (AREA)
US00288616A 1972-02-11 1972-09-13 Flashlight Expired - Lifetime US3835310A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2206544A DE2206544C3 (de) 1972-02-11 1972-02-11 Leuchte

Publications (1)

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US3835310A true US3835310A (en) 1974-09-10

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ID=5835761

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US00288616A Expired - Lifetime US3835310A (en) 1972-02-11 1972-09-13 Flashlight

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US (1) US3835310A (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png)
CA (1) CA977319A (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png)
DE (1) DE2206544C3 (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png)
FR (1) FR2172085B1 (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7170006B1 (en) * 2003-11-05 2007-01-30 Garmin Ltd. Battery contact mechanism including single-piece battery contact spring

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2478262A1 (fr) * 1980-03-12 1981-09-18 Cipel Boitier de lampe portative

Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH153052A (de) * 1931-03-24 1932-02-29 Brodbeck Georg Elektrische Signallampe für Tischaufsatzgeräte.
US2041843A (en) * 1933-04-21 1936-05-26 Egon Singer Electric pocket lamp
US2249692A (en) * 1939-03-18 1941-07-15 Gelardin Albert Pocket flashlight
US2412313A (en) * 1945-05-07 1946-12-10 Sidney Schwartz Pocket flashlight
CH271770A (de) * 1948-09-21 1950-11-15 Schneider Emil Elektrische Taschenlampe.
DE822581C (de) * 1948-10-02 1951-11-26 Alfred Boenecke Taschenlampengehaeuse
US2618737A (en) * 1947-10-10 1952-11-18 Olin Ind Inc Flat casing electric hand lamp and switch therefor
US2697297A (en) * 1952-01-11 1954-12-21 Newberg Albert Toy combination cigarette case and lighter
US3162376A (en) * 1962-11-05 1964-12-22 Furuya Syoichi Water-tight portable electric lamp for under-water use
FR1442327A (fr) * 1964-12-22 1966-06-17 Accumulateurs Fixes Appareil portatif fonctionnant à l'aide d'une pile ou d'une batterie de piles électriques
US3345508A (en) * 1965-07-15 1967-10-03 Sonca Ind Ltd Flashlight formed of two molded parts
FR1528584A (fr) * 1965-12-15 1968-06-14 Accumulateurs Fixes Lampe électrique de poche
GB1205975A (en) * 1967-10-26 1970-09-23 Hoi Yuen Mfg Company Ltd Electric torches

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB788216A (en) * 1955-04-20 1957-12-23 Reuben Benjamin Lambert Improvements relating to electric torches
FR1442209A (fr) * 1965-08-09 1966-06-10 Superpila Societa Per Azioni Perfectionnements apportés aux lampes de poche à pile électrique

Patent Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH153052A (de) * 1931-03-24 1932-02-29 Brodbeck Georg Elektrische Signallampe für Tischaufsatzgeräte.
US2041843A (en) * 1933-04-21 1936-05-26 Egon Singer Electric pocket lamp
US2249692A (en) * 1939-03-18 1941-07-15 Gelardin Albert Pocket flashlight
US2412313A (en) * 1945-05-07 1946-12-10 Sidney Schwartz Pocket flashlight
US2618737A (en) * 1947-10-10 1952-11-18 Olin Ind Inc Flat casing electric hand lamp and switch therefor
CH271770A (de) * 1948-09-21 1950-11-15 Schneider Emil Elektrische Taschenlampe.
DE822581C (de) * 1948-10-02 1951-11-26 Alfred Boenecke Taschenlampengehaeuse
US2697297A (en) * 1952-01-11 1954-12-21 Newberg Albert Toy combination cigarette case and lighter
US3162376A (en) * 1962-11-05 1964-12-22 Furuya Syoichi Water-tight portable electric lamp for under-water use
FR1442327A (fr) * 1964-12-22 1966-06-17 Accumulateurs Fixes Appareil portatif fonctionnant à l'aide d'une pile ou d'une batterie de piles électriques
US3345508A (en) * 1965-07-15 1967-10-03 Sonca Ind Ltd Flashlight formed of two molded parts
FR1528584A (fr) * 1965-12-15 1968-06-14 Accumulateurs Fixes Lampe électrique de poche
US3443084A (en) * 1965-12-15 1969-05-06 Accumulateurs Fixes Disposable flashlight
GB1205975A (en) * 1967-10-26 1970-09-23 Hoi Yuen Mfg Company Ltd Electric torches

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7170006B1 (en) * 2003-11-05 2007-01-30 Garmin Ltd. Battery contact mechanism including single-piece battery contact spring

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2206544B2 (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png) 1975-04-03
CA977319A (en) 1975-11-04
DE2206544A1 (de) 1973-08-23
DE2206544C3 (de) 1975-11-20
FR2172085A1 (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png) 1973-09-28
FR2172085B1 (US06248540-20010619-C00021.png) 1975-06-20

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