Illumination – Self powered lamp – Rechargeable electrical source of with external connections
Reissue Patent
1997-07-09
2001-03-13
Quach, Y. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Self powered lamp
Rechargeable electrical source of with external connections
C362S191000, C362S205000, C439S929000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037092
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rechargeable flashlight and recharging unit. More specifically, the invention relates to a compact recharging unit having an alignment feature and a rechargeable flashlight which employs a custom battery assembly and a recharging fixture.
BACKGROUND
Metal flashlights, such as machined aluminum flashlights, are commonly finished, such as by surface anodization or bright dipping, to protect the surface of the flashlight and to impart an aesthetic quality to the flashlight. The body of such flashlights commonly includes a threaded tail cap for providing access to the battery compartment and which also serves as a battery terminal contact. Since the body of such flashlights usually provides part of the electrical circuit between the batteries and the light bulb, it is necessary for such electrically and physically mating surfaces as the body and the tail cap to be machined subsequent to surface finishing, such as anodizing, so that the electrical path through the body will have a low resistance. Machining the mating surfaces of the flashlight after surface finishing increases the cost of fabricating the flashlight due to the expense of a further machining step after anodizing and occasional damage to the finished surface of the flashlight during such further machining. To avoid further machining, it would be desirable to provide a battery assembly which presents both positive and negative contacts at the forward end of the flashlight so that the body of the flashlight would not need to be used as part of the electrical circuit. Hence, all machining of parts could be achieved before anodization.
It is known in the art to provide flashlights with rechargeable batteries. In prior art arrangements, when the flashlight is in the charger unit, the switch may be covered and inaccessible or the flashlight may be oriented (i.e. about the roll axis) in a wide variety of orientations. Hence the switch for operating the flashlight may be in a wide variety of orientations with respect to the charger unit. However, flashlights are often needed when it is dark in the vicinity of the flashlight in the charger unit. Hence, it would be desirable to provide a recharging system for a rechargeable flashlight which consistently presents the flashlight to the user with a known orientation of the operating switch on the flashlight in order to minimize fumbling for the switch on the flashlight in a dark environment.
It is recognized that a flashlight that is tightly held within a recharging unit in order to withstand vibration may be difficult to remove from the charging unit. This latter problem is increased if the flashlight is of compact size. Hence, it would be desirable to provide a rechargeable flashlight which is tightly held within a recharging unit while being easily removable to remove from the charging unit when needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention an elongated, tubular battery assembly has both positive and negative terminals located at the same end of the assembly. The battery assembly is composed of stacked cells of the sub-C NiCd rechargeable type. The stack of cells is preferably surrounded or wrapped in a first layer of shrink wrap tubing, which leaves exposed the positive contact of the top cell and the negative contact of the bottom cell. A conductive terminal extension member is preferably attached to the negative contact of the stack. An elongated conductor electrically connects the conductive extension member to an annular collar which forms the negative contact of the battery assembly and holds the elongated conductor in place. Preferably, a further layer of shrink wrap tubing holds the elongated conductor in place and covers the conductor along the side of the assembly.
According to another aspect of the invention, an interconnection module located in the head of the flashlight provides interconnection of the battery assembly, the lamp, and a pair of charging contacts. The interconnection module is a three-dimensional “circuit boardp” formed of a single piece of selectively-plated plastic. Contact is made between the interconnection module and the battery assembly by suitable conductors. The interconnection module mates with a switch module inside the head of the flashlight.
According to another aspect of the invention, the rechargeable flashlight is provided a guide means in the form of a guide plate which mates with alignment surfaces of the charging unit. The mating action of the guide plate and the alignment surfaces provides mating of the charging contacts on the head of the flashlight with the charging terminals of the charging unit. The charging contacts on the flashlight have concave surfaces which mate with convex surfaces of the charging terminals to assure the charging conditions.
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Craft Charles W.
Sharrah Raymond L.
Berryhill John
Dann Dorfman Herrell and Skillman, P.C.
Quach Y.
Streamlight Inc.
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