Patent Application
20120057334
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flashlight having at least one magnet or a plurality of magnets strategically placed throughout its housing so that the flashlight may be attached to a metallic surface such as metallic tool boxes and cases, metallic working surface, other metallic tools, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various patents covering flashlights with mechanisms such as clips and straps and other device that allows a flashlight to be attached to a working surface or a tool box or other desired areas.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides for a flashlight comprising: a housing having an external surface, the housing having top and bottom portions, and the top portion comprising a light bulb; a compartment in the housing for storing a power source; and at least one magnet attached to the external surface of the housing to allow the flashlight to be attached to a metallic surface.
In another embodiment, the magnet has the strength (usually measured in Tesla) to support the flashlight when the flashlight is attached to the metallic surface.
In yet another embodiment, the flashlight further comprises a plurality of magnets. In still another embodiment, the top portion of the housing comprises at least one transparent lens to allow light emitted by the bulb to be shined by the flashlight. In still another embodiment, the top portion of the housing comprises at least one translucent lens to allow light emitted by the bulb to be shined by the flashlight.
In still yet another embodiment, the flashlight further comprises a reflector situated adjacent the bulb to further amply and reflect light emitted by the bulb. In a further embodiment, the flashlight further comprises at least one on/off button situated on the surface of the housing. In yet a further embodiment, the flashlight further comprises at least one power source, and the power source is a battery. The present invention may use any type or size of batteries.
In still a further embodiment, the top portion of the housing comprises an extended top portion, and the extension top portion has a surface area, and the magnet is situated on the surface area of the extended top portion. In still yet a further embodiment, the bottom portion of the housing comprises an extended bottom portion, and the extension bottom portion has a surface area, and the magnet is situated on the surface area of the extended bottom portion.
In another further embodiment, the bottom portion of the housing comprises an extended bottom portion, and the extension bottom portion has a surface area, and the flashlight comprising a second magnet, the second magnet is situated on the surface area of the extended bottom portion.
In another embodiment, the first and second magnets are generally parallel to one another. In still another embodiment, the extended top and bottom portions are generally parallel to one another.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides for a flashlight comprising: a housing having top and bottom portions, the top portion comprises a light bulb, and the top portion of the housing comprising an extended top portion, the extension top portion has an external top surface, the bottom portion of the housing comprised an extended bottom portion, the extension bottom portion having an external bottom surface; a compartment in the housing for storing a power source; and at least two magnets, a first magnet is attached to the external top surface of the extended top portion of the top portion of the housing, a second magnet is attached to the external bottom surface of the extended bottom portion of the bottom portion of the housing, and the magnets are designed to allow the flashlight to be attached to a metallic surface.
In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a flashlight comprising: a housing having an external surface, the housing has top and bottom portions, the top portion comprising a light bulb; and a plurality of magnets strategically attached to the external surface of the housing to allow the flashlight to be attached to a metallic surface.
In another embodiment, the housing is hollow for retaining a power source and the flashlight further comprising a cap, at least one extended top portion with at least one magnet, and at least one extended bottom portion with at least one magnet, the bottom extended portion being rotatably moveable about an axis of said housing of said flashlight. This is to allow the magnet on the extended bottom portion to be aligned with the magnet on the extended top portion after the cap has been closed. In yet another embodiment, the extended bottom portion is attached to the cap.
In still another embodiment, the extended top portion comprises at least one ring which is designed to rotate about the housing of the flashlight, and the magnet is attached to at least a portion of the ring. In still yet another embodiment, extended bottom comprises at least one ring which is designed to rotate about the housing of the flashlight, and the magnet is attached to at least a portion of the ring.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides for a flashlight comprising: a housing having top and bottom portions, the top portion comprising a light bulb, said top portion of said housing comprises an extended top portion, the extended top portion having an external top surface, the bottom portion of the housing comprises an extended bottom portion, and the extension bottom portion has an external bottom surface; a compartment in the housing for storing a power source; and at least two magnets, a first magnet attached to the external top surface of the extended top portion of the top portion of the housing, a second magnet attached to the external bottom surface of the extended bottom portion of the bottom portion of the housing, the magnets are designed to allow the flashlight to be attached to a metallic surface.
In a further embodiment, the extended bottom portion is moveable around the housing of the flashlight and the extended top portion is stationary. In yet a further embodiment, the extendable top portion is moveable around the housing of the flashlight and the extended bottom portion is stationary.
In still a further embodiment, the extended bottom portion is moved to position its magnet to be aligned with the magnet on the extended top portion.
In another further embodiment, the present invention provides for a flashlight comprising: a housing having an external surface, and the housing having top and bottom portions, the top portion comprising a light bulb, the top portion having a top ring, the bottom portion having a bottom ring being rotatable about the housing of the flashlight; and at least two magnets, each magnet is strategically attached to an external surface on each of the rings.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention. These drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.
Among those benefits and improvements that have been disclosed, other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
In one embodiment,
In another embodiment, the ring 4 may be moveable and the ring 5 is stationary. In yet another embodiment, the ring 4 and ring 5 are both moveable.
The magnets, 6a and 6b, may be placed on any of the outer surfaces of the rings, 4 and 5 and at times, the housing 2 of the flashlight 1.
Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the attendant claims attached hereto, this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically disclosed herein.
