Illumination – Self powered lamp – Cylindrical flashlight casing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-31
2003-02-04
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Self powered lamp
Cylindrical flashlight casing
C362S208000, C362S394000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06513947
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to flashlights and more particularly to such a flashlight having a water-resistant switch which is capable of being operated in either pressing or rotation operating mode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional flashlight may incorporate a specially designed switch depending on applications. For example, there are various water-resistant flashlights commercially available in which water-resistant switch is the most important device of the flashlight. A conventional flashlight having a water-resistant switch is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. The switch is located at rear of flashlight and is operated by pressing. In details, switch is operated by pressing by palm of user's hand while holding the flashlight. This design is significantly different from other conventional sliding switches in sidewalls of their battery compartment. Recently, flashlights having such operated switches are becoming more and more popular in the field of mini-flashlights. As shown, flashlight
90
comprises a hollow rear barrel
91
sleeved on a rear extension of flashlight
90
, a rubber push button
94
fitted in rear end of hollow rear barrel
91
, a conductive metal block
93
inside hollow rear barrel
91
secured to rubber push button
94
, and a spring
92
having a rear end anchored at conductive metal block
93
and a front end urged against terminals of cells. In an unused state (i.e., bulb of flashlight is not lit), a circumferential shoulder
95
of flashlight
90
inside hollow rear barrel
91
is disengaged from conductive metal block
93
(FIG.
1
). In operation, press rubber push button
94
by palm of user's hand to cause conductive metal block
93
to engage with the circumferential shoulder
95
by compressing spring
92
(FIG.
2
). As a result, bulb of flashlight is lit. A release of force exerted on rubber push button
94
will turn off the flashlight due to the expansion of spring
92
. However, the water-resistant property of such flashlight is not reliable because water may flow into flashlight through the periphery where rubber push button
94
contacts hollow rear barrel
91
.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a flashlight having a water-resistant switch with improved characteristics in order to overcome the above drawback of prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flashlight having a reliable, durable water-resistant switch.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a flashlight having a water-resistant switch which is capable of being operated in either pressing or rotation operating mode.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flashlight having a water-resistant switch comprising a battery compartment, a hollow rear barrel, a rubber push button, an abutment cylinder, a conductive metal block, a first spring, an engagement cylinder, an insulator washer, a pin member, and a second spring wherein the battery compartment includes a space for receiving cells and an externally threaded extension on a rear end facing the hollow rear barrel, the hollow rear barrel includes internal threads which are engageable with threads of the externally threaded extension and a hole on a rear end, the rubber push button includes a peripheral flange and a raised portion projected from the hole of the hollow rear barrel, the abutment cylinder includes external threads which are engageable with the internal threads of the hollow rear barrel to fasten the peripheral flange of the rubber push button, and a central hole, the conductive metal block is provided between the abutment cylinder and the rubber push button and includes a rod projected through the central hole of the abutment cylinder, the first spring is put on the rod of the conductive metal block being urged between the conductive metal block and the abutment cylinder, the engagement cylinder is formed of hard plastic material and includes an peripheral extension, a central hole, and external threads on the peripheral extension, the external threads being engageable with the hollow rear barrel, the insulator washer is fastened between the engagement cylinder and the abutment cylinder and includes a central hole, the pin member is received in the engagement cylinder and includes a rod projected through the central hole of the engagement cylinder to contact the cell in the battery compartment, and the second spring is urged between the pin member and the insulator washer.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flashlight having a water-resistant switch comprising a battery compartment, a hollow rear barrel coupled to the battery compartment, a rubber push button projected from the hollow rear barrel, an abutment cylinder threadedly secured within the hollow rear barrel to urge the rubber push button against a rear end of the hollow rear barrel, and a conductive metal block in the hollow rear barrel wherein the conductive metal block is operative to be pushed forward by the rubber push button to form a closed circuit of the flashlight.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4733337 (1988-03-01), Bieberstein
patent: 5629105 (1997-05-01), Matthews
patent: 5990430 (1999-11-01), Shiau
Kingwell Products Inc.
O'Shea Sandra
Rosenberg , Klein & Lee
Sawhney Hargobind S.
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