Illumination – Self powered lamp – Cylindrical flashlight casing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-11
2002-01-08
Quach-Lee, Y. My (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Self powered lamp
Cylindrical flashlight casing
C362S202000, C362S267000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06336732
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flashlight, more particularly to a flashlight having a waterproof switching device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a flashlight according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,860 is shown to include a barrel
1
and a waterproof switching device. As illustrated, the barrel
1
is formed with a radial switch opening
15
. The waterproof switching device includes a switch housing
10
, and a push-button switching element
12
. The switch housing
10
is formed with a radial button hole
13
that is aligned with the radial switch opening
15
and that has a large-diameter hole portion
130
proximate to the switch opening
15
, and a small-diameter hole portion
131
that is distal to the switch opening
15
, and an annular shoulder
14
that is defined between the large-diameter hole portion
130
and the small-diameter hole portion
131
, and that is located at one end of the button hole
13
which is distal to the switch opening
15
. The large-diameter hole portion
130
is confined by a hole-defining surface. The push-button switching element
12
is mounted in the switch housing
10
, and has a button-confining sleeve
120
and a button
121
movably confined by the button-confining sleeve
120
. The button-confining sleeve
120
and the button
121
extend through the small-diameter hole portion
131
and into the large-diameter hole portion
130
of the button hole
13
. The annular shoulder
14
cooperates with the hole-defining surface confining the large-diameter hole portion
130
of the button hole
13
to form an annular clearance. A resilient sealing member is disposed in the annular clearance, and has an operating portion
17
that projects into the switch opening
15
and that encloses the button
121
and the button-confining sleeve
120
therein, and an annular flange portion
18
that extends to the hole-defining surface confining the large-diameter hole portion
130
of the button hole
13
so as to establish watertight seal between the barrel
1
and the annular shoulder
14
.
Some of the disadvantages of the aforesaid conventional switching device are as follows:
During assembly of the switching device on the barrel
1
, the flange portion
18
of the sealing member must be inserted from an exterior of the barrel
1
into the annular clearance via the switching opening
15
so that the operating portion
17
is exposed from the barrel
1
. As such, a void may be formed among the flange portion
18
, the shoulder
14
, and an inner barrel surface
16
of the barrel
1
, thereby rendering the switching device non-waterproof. In addition, since no immobilizing device is applied between the inner barrel surface
16
of the barrel
1
and the switch housing
10
, replacement of battery may result in displacement of the switching housing
10
relative to the barrel
1
, which will affect the waterproofing effect of the switching device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a flashlight with a waterproof switching device which is clear of the disadvantages mentioned beforehand.
Accordingly, the flashlight of the present invention includes a barrel formed with a radial switch opening, and a waterproof switching device. The switching device includes a switch housing mounted in the barrel and formed with a radial button hole that is aligned with the radial switch opening and that has a large-diameter hole portion proximate to the switch opening, a small-diameter hole portion that is distal to the switch opening, and an annular shoulder that is defined between the large-diameter and small-diameter hole portions and that is formed at one end of the button hole which is distal to the switch opening. The large-diameter hole portion is confined by a hole-defining surface. A push-button switching element is mounted in the switch housing, and has a button-confining sleeve and a button movably confined by the button-confining sleeve. The button-confining sleeve and the button extend through the small-diameter hole portion and into the large-diameter hole portion of the button hole. The button-confining sleeve cooperates with the hole-defining surface confining the large-diameter hole portion of the button hole to form a first annular clearance. A resilient sealing member is disposed in the first annular clearance, and has an operating portion that projects into the switch opening, a tubular portion that extends from the operating portion and that encloses the button and the button-confining sleeve, and a peripheral flange portion that extends from one end of the tubular portion proximate to the shoulder and that extends to the hole-defining surface confining the large-diameter hole portion of the buttonhole. The tubular portion of the sealing member cooperates with the hole-defining surface confining the large-diameter hole portion of the button hole to form a second annular clearance. A retaining ring is fittingly disposed in the second annular clearance so as to urge the tubular portion of the sealing member to contact tightly the button-confining sleeve of the switching element, and so as to urge the peripheral flange portion of the sealing member toward the shoulder.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3924116 (1975-12-01), Brindley
patent: 4940860 (1990-07-01), Shiau
patent: 5967642 (1999-10-01), Chiu
Foley & Lardner
Quach-Lee Y. My
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