Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Automatic substitution of the power supply
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-12
2001-01-30
Wong, Don (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Automatic substitution of the power supply
C362S183000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181067
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a portable lighting product, a portable lighting product circuit and a method of operating a portable lighting product circuit, and more particularly to portable lighting products including flashlights and bicycle lights, camping lights and other portable lighting products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many applications of portable lighting products, users are ultimately concerned with such factors as bulk of product and the running life of that product. For example for flashlights with 6 or 8 dry cells in series, these may need to be replenished or replaced either at the start of a shift or during a shift and the human condition will dictate that it will be at the worst possible time.
Generally with 6 and 8 dry cell flashlights, the dry cells are connected in series in a straight line making the bodies of the flashlights relatively long. This can render such flashlights as menacing to the general public because of a club like appearance. Also their relatively long length renders them difficult to store in cupboards and vehicles, or when carried on belts they can interfere with the wearer's movement. Such flashlights can at times be any thing up to 1 meter or 39 inches long.
Also, in today's market, brighter operating lamps are being developed, but at the relatively high voltages of 9 or 12 volts, the filaments of such lamps are relatively fragile. Such fragility can b directly proportional to the voltage at which the lamp is operated.
Whilst a solution to the first and second mentioned difficulties can be to provide the power supply from sets of dry cells in parallel, this solution results in an additional problem. When sets of series connected dry cells are connected in parallel, there are risks of dissipation and transfer of energy from one set of dry cells to another, when they are not powering a lamp. This can lead to premature dissipation of the available energy in the dry cells. Potential risks of premature dissipation is one reason why manufacturers have not utilised parallel dry cell arrangements for dry cell powered products.
It is an object of the invention to provide a portable lighting product, a portable lighting product circuit and a method of functioning of a portable lighting product circuit which ameliorates, at least partially, at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.
Whilst the following discussion and description of the embodiments relates in part to flashlights, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to any portable lighting product, and can be readily incorporated therein without departing from the scope of the following inventions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an electrical circuit for a portable lighting product which includes a lamp holder means and one power source holding means to hold at least two power sources, said power source holding means having one set of positive and negative terminals for each power source that it is to hold, said sets of terminals being adapted to be electrically connected in parallel with at least one other set of positive and negative terminals that function as electrical connections for said lamp holder within said electrical circuit, said circuit being such that when said circuit is closed said positive terminals of said sets are connected in parallel with said positive terminal of said lamp holder and said negative terminals of said sets are connected in parallel with the negative terminal of said lamp holder and when said circuit is open at least one terminal, for each power source, of said power source holding means is electrically isolated.
The present invention provides an electrical circuit for a portable lighting product which includes a lamp holder means and at least two power source holding means each to hold at least one power source, each of said power source holding means having one set of positive and negative terminals for each power source that it is to hold, said sets of terminals being adapted to be electrically connected in parallel with at least one other set of positive and negative terminals that function as electrical connections for said lamp holder within said electrical circuit, said circuit being such that when said circuit is closed said positive terminals of said are connected in parallel with said positive terminal of said lamp holder and said negative terminals of said sets are connected in parallel with the negative terminal of said lamp holder and when said circuit is open at least one terminal, for each power source, of said power soul holding means is electrically isolated.
Preferably said power source holding means will hold only one power source.
Preferably, wherein connection in parallel when the circuit is closed and the electrical isolation when the circuit is open, are each performed by a single action.
Preferably the single action closes or opens individual switches associated with said power sources.
Preferably the isolation of said sets of series connected dry cells occurs at one of the following: on the positive side of said power sources; on the negative side of said power sources; on both the negative side and positive sides of said power sources; or on a combination of the positive and negative sides of said power sources.
Preferably said two switches and said single action is achieved by means of a double pole double throw switch.
Preferably each power source is located in a separate container or housing for each set.
Preferably all of said power sources are located in a single container having appropriate electrical connections with said circuit.
Preferably said lamp holder means has a lamp means which is selected from one of the following: a halogen type; a krypton type; a vacuum type; a xenon type; a lamp means which includes a filament encased in an atmosphere of a gas or combination of gases.
Preferably said power source is a single dry cell.
Preferably said power source is effectively a single dry cell made up of a set of series connected dry cells.
Preferably said power source is a set of series connected dry cells.
Preferably said dry cells are selected from one of the following sizes or types: AA size, AAA size, C size, D size, lantern type, 9 volt rectangular type. Preferably said portable lighting product is selected from any one of the following products: flashlight, lantern, desk lamp, area light, combination area light and flashlight, front and rear bicycle light, emergency light, night light, rechargeable versions of any of those products previously mentioned.
The invention also provides a portable lighting product which includes a lamp holder means having two terminals with a first terminal being adapted to be in electrical connection with a first terminal of each of at least two power sources; a second terminal of said lamp holder being adapted to be electrically connected to a second terminal of each of said at least two power sources, said circuit including at least one switching mechanism which electrically isolates each power source from each other when said at least one switching mechanism is in a first condition, but when in a second condition said circuit is closed by said first terminals of said sets being connected in parallel with said first terminal of said lamp holder and said second terminals of said sets being connected in parallel with the second terminal of said lamp holder.
The invention also provides a portable lighting product which includes a lamp holder means with two terminals having a first terminal adapted to be electrically connected to a first terminal of each of at least two power sources, the second terminal of each of said at least two power sources being adapted to be electrically connected to a switch mechanism, whereby the second terminal of said lamp holder means is adapted to be selectively electrically connected to said second terminal of said power sources when said switch mechanism is in a first condition such that each of said power sources are electrically connected to said lamp holder means in p
D Chuc Tran
Eveready Battery Company Inc.
Welsh Robert W.
Wong Don
LandOfFree
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