Patent Application
20140168958
The present invention relates generally to the field of flashlights. In particular, the present invention relates to flashlights in which a generator rotates in response to a manual input to power the flashlight.
One embodiment of the invention relates to a flashlight including a housing that extends along a longitudinal housing axis from a first end to a second end, a light source provided at the first end of the housing, a rechargeable power supply electrically coupled to the light source to power the light source, a generator electrically coupled to the rechargeable power supply to charge the rechargeable power supply, and a hand crank coupled to the generator to turn the generator, the hand crank including a base, a handle, and an arm having a first end coupled to the base and a second end coupled to the handle, the hand crank movable between a storage position and a cranking position. The base is rotatably coupled to the second end of the housing for rotation about the housing axis. The arm is translatable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position such that when the arm is in the extended position, the arm is pivotable relative to the base between a translation position in which the arm is substantially parallel to the housing axis and a fixed position in which the arm is substantially perpendicular to the housing axis so that when the hand crank is in the storage position, the arm is in the refracted and translation positions and when the hand crank is in the cranking position, the arm is in the extended and fixed positions. The handle is pivotable relative to the arm such that when the arm is in the fixed position, the handle is rotatable about a handle axis substantially parallel to the housing axis.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a method of operating a flashlight including the steps of providing a flashlight including a housing, a light source provided at an end of the housing, a rechargeable power supply electrically coupled to the light source to power the light source, a generator electrically coupled to the rechargeable power supply to charge the rechargeable power supply, and a rotatable hand crank coupled to the generator to turn the generator, translating an arm of the hand crank out of the housing in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing to an extended position, pivoting the arm relative to a base of the hand crank to a fixed position in which the arm is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and rotating the hand crank about the longitudinal axis to turn the generator, thereby charging the rechargeable power supply and powering the light source.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a flashlight including a housing that extends along a longitudinal housing axis from a first end to a second end, a light source provided at the first end of the housing, a rechargeable power supply electrically coupled to the light source to power the light source, a generator electrically coupled to the rechargeable power supply to charge the rechargeable power supply, and a hand crank coupled to the generator to turn the generator, the hand crank including a base and an arm, the hand crank movable between a storage position and a cranking position. The base is rotatably coupled to the second end of the housing for rotation about the housing axis. The arm is translatable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position such that when the arm is in the extended position, the arm is pivotable relative to the base between a translation position in which the arm is substantially parallel to the housing axis and a fixed position in which the arm is substantially perpendicular to the housing axis so that when the hand crank is in the storage position, the arm is in the refracted and translation positions and when the hand crank is in the cranking position, the arm is in the extended and fixed positions.
Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features and combinations of features as may be generally recited in the claims.
The invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, in which:
The skilled artisan will understand that the drawings primarily are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter described herein.
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate the exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the application is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
Referring to
A hand crank 20 extends from a second end 16 of the housing 12. The crank 20 includes a handle 22 coupled by an arm 24 to a base 26 forming the end cap of the housing 12. The base 26 is rotatably coupled to the second end 16 of the housing 12. The hand crank 20 is moveable between a first or storage position (
Referring now to
By turning the crank 20 about the longitudinal axis 15, a user can recharge the rechargeable power supply 30. In an exemplary embodiment where the rechargeable power supply 30 stores electrical energy, the crank 20 turns a gear train 32 coupled to a generator 34, which converts rotational mechanical energy to electrical energy. In one embodiment, the generator 34 may be a dynamo that provides a DC voltage to the rechargeable power supply 30. In another embodiment, the generator 34 may be an alternator and a rectifier or another device that provides a voltage to the rechargeable power supply 30.
As shown in
The second link 42 further includes a second portion 48 that is offset from the first portion 47. The second link 42 extends into an open end 50 of the handle 22 such that the second portion 48 is received in a bore 52 along the central axis 54 of the handle 22 (see FIGS 12-15). The second link 42 is retained in the bore by a cap 49. The second portion 48 can rotate relative to the handle 42 in the bore 52 about the axis 54. The walls of the bore 52 provide a bearing surface for the second portion 48. In one embodiment, the second portion 48 and the bore 52 may each be cylindrical with a circular cross-section. In another embodiment, the bore 52 may be cylindrical and the second portion 48 may have a differently shaped cross-section (e.g., oval, square, hexagonal, octagonal, triangular, etc.). In still other exemplary embodiments, the bore 52 may not be cylindrical or may not provide a solid bearing surface for the second portion 48 (e.g., the bore 52 may be formed by a multitude of radially arranged longitudinal walls or fins).
The open end 50 of the handle 42 forms a hollow cavity 56 with an interior diameter that is greater than the diameter of the base 26. When the crank 20 is in the storage position, base 26 is received in the hollow cavity 56 and the central axis 54 of the handle 22 is collinear with the longitudinal axis 15 of the housing 12. Internal threads 58 are provided on the walls defining the hollow cavity 56 and corresponding threads 38 are provided on the exterior of the second end 16 of the housing 12. Because the handle 22 is able to rotate relative to the arm 24, the handle 22 may also be rotated relative to the housing 12 about the axes 15 and 54 to couple the handle 22 to the housing 12 with the threads 38 and 58.
In the storage position, the crank 20 is unobtrusive, with the arm 24 being retracted into the housing 12 or in the interior of the cavity 35 and the handle 22 forming a relatively continuous outer surface with the housing 12.
As shown in
The mechanical advantage provided by the crank 20 (e.g., the length of the arm 20 and the distance between the axes 54 and 15) and the gear ratio of the gear train are selected to allow the generator to be turned at a sufficient rate (e.g., a predetermined number of rotations of the generator for every rotation of the crank 20) with a resistance torque that can be overcome by a user. By mounting the arm 24 such that it is retracted into the housing 12, the length of the arm 24 and the mechanical advantage provided by the crank 20 may be maximized. Further, the configuration of the flashlight 10, with the crank 20 mounted to an end 16 and rotating about the longitudinal axis 15, allows any portion of the entire housing 12 to be grasped by the user without interfering with the rotation of the crank 20.
While the arm 24 is shown in the figures and described above as being normal to the longitudinal axis 15 of the housing 12 in the cranking position, in other embodiments, the arm 24 may not fold into a position normal to the axis 15. Folding the arm 24 normal to the axis 15 maximizes the mechanical advantage provided by the arm 24 in the turning of the base 26 (and, in turn, the gear train 32 and the generator 34) via the handle 22. However, in other embodiments, the arm 24 may be configured to be folded to some angle less than 90 degrees.
Referring to
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
The construction and arrangement of the elements of the flashlight as shown in the exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements. Some like components have been described in the present disclosure using the same reference numerals in different figures. This should not be construed as an implication that these components are identical in all embodiments; various modifications may be made in various different embodiments. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the enclosure may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations.
