This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 093141439, filed on Dec. 30, 2004.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flashlight, more particularly to a flashlight with a heat dissipating member.
2. Description of the Related Art
The lamp periphery of a conventional flashlight with an LED lamp has a tendency to soften and be damaged due to heat generated by the LED lamp when the LED lamp provides a power larger than 1 watt. Hence, there is a need to dissipate heat generated by a flashlight with a high power LED lamp.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the conventional flashlight.
Accordingly, a flashlight of this invention comprises a tubular housing, a module-receiving housing, an end closure, a light emitting module, and a switch.
The tubular housing has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and defines a first inner space that is adapted to receive a battery unit therein.
The module-receiving housing is connected to the first end of the tubular housing, and defines a second inner space therein.
The end closure is connected to the second end of the tubular housing, and is provided with a conductive urging member that extends into the first inner space in the tubular housing and that is adapted to be electrically connected to a first electrode of the battery unit.
The light emitting module is mounted in the second inner space in the module-receiving housing, and includes a heat dissipating member, a reflector that is mounted on the module-receiving housing, and a light emitting member that is disposed between the heat dissipating member and the reflector, and that is connected electrically to the urging member.
The switch is provided on the tubular housing, and is operable so as to control electrical connection between the light emitting member and a second electrode of the battery unit.
The heat dissipating member is in contact with the tubular housing so as to dissipate heat, which results from the light emitting member, through the tubular housing.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to
The tubular housing 1 is provided with a switch 10, has a first end 13 and a second end 14 opposite to the first end 13, and defines a first inner space 11 that is adapted to receive a battery unit 12 therein.
The module-receiving housing 2 is connected to the first end 13 of the tubular housing 1, and defines a second inner space 20 therein.
The end closure 3 is connected to the second end 14 of the tubular housing 1, and is provided with a conductive urging member 30 that extends into the first inner space 11 in the tubular housing 1 and that is adapted to be electrically connected to a first electrode 120 of the battery unit 12.
The light emitting module 8 is mounted in the second inner space 20 in the module-receiving housing 2, and includes a heat dissipating member 5, a reflector 7 that is mounted on the module-receiving housing 2, and a light emitting member 6 that is disposed between the heat dissipating member 5 and the reflector 7, and that is connected electrically to the urging member 30. The switch 10 on the tubular housing 1 is operable so as to control electrical connection between the light emitting member 6 and a second electrode 121 of the battery unit 12 in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter.
The heat dissipating member 5 is in contact with the tubular housing 1 so as to effectively dissipate heat resulting from the light emitting member 6 through the tubular housing 1 and so as to ensure safety in use of the flashlight and to lengthen the service life of the flashlight.
It should be noted herein that in order to enhance heat dissipation, each of the tubular housing 1 and the heat dissipating member 5 is made from a conductive material (in this embodiment, the heat dissipating member 5 is made from aluminum). Moreover, the heat dissipating member 5 is electrically connected to the light emitting member 6, while the tubular housing 1 is electrically connected to the urging member 30 so as to establish a circuit through the light emitting member 6.
Referring to
The heat dissipating member 5 has a first side 500 formed with a stud 50 that projects therefrom and that has a free end 512, and a second side 501 opposite to the first side 500. The heat dissipating member 5 is formed with a central hole 51 that extends through the stud 50 from the free end 512 of the stud 50 to the second side 501 of the heat dissipating member 5. The light emitting module 8 further includes an insulator 52 that is connected to the free end 512 of the stud 50 and that is formed with a mounting hole 520 in spatial communication with the central hole 51, and a conductive body 53 that is mounted in the mounting hole 520 in the insulator 52. The conductive body 53 has a first conductive end 530 that extends outwardly of the mounting hole 520 in the insulator 52, and that is adapted to be connected electrically to the second electrode 121 of the battery unit 12, and a second conductive end 531 opposite to the first conductive end 530. The heat dissipating member 5 further has a conductive wire 54 extending from the second conductive end 531 of the conductive body 53 through the central hole 51 toward the light emitting member 6. The second side 501 of the heat dissipating member 5 is formed with a groove 56 distal from the stud 50 and in spatial communication with the central hole 51.
The light emitting module 8 further includes a mounting disc 60 having a first face 600 distal from the stud 50 of the heat dissipating member 5, and a second face 601 opposite to the first face 600. The light emitting member 6 includes a high-power light emitting diode (LED) lamp 61 mounted on the first face 600 of the mounting disc 60. In this embodiment, the LED lamp has a power of 3 watts. The reflector 7 further has a flat mounting portion 71 disposed at a bottom of the cup-shaped housing 70. The mounting portion 71 is formed with a lamp hole 710. The light emitting member 6 further has a ring-shaped heat-isolating pad 610 sleeved on the LED lamp 61 and abutting against a periphery of the lamp hole 710. The light emitting member 6 further has a conductive plate 62 that is bent and that is mounted on the second face 601 of the mounting disc 60. The LED lamp 61 has a cathode 611 connected to the conductive wire 54, and an anode 612 connected to the conductive plate 62. During assembly, the conductive wire 54 and the conductive plate 62 are received in the groove 56, the conductive plate 62 is connected electrically to the second side 501 of the heat dissipating member 5, and the second face 601 of the mounting disc 60 is seated on and abuts against the second side 501 of the heat dissipating member 5 so as to enhance heat dissipation of the heat resulting from the light emitting member 6. It is noted herein that, in design, the tubular housing 1 has an outer threaded portion 130, and the module-receiving housing 2 has an inner threaded portion 21 that is aligned with the outer thread portion 130 such that, after assembly, the first side 500 of the heat dissipating member 5 has a periphery 502 that abuts against a periphery 111 of the first end 13 of the tubular housing 1 so as to permit heat dissipation through the tubular housing 1, as best shown in
Referring again to
The tubular housing 1 further includes an insulator base 15, a positioning seat 16, an urging component 17, a conductive biasing member 18, and a conductive component 19.
The insulator base 15 is fixedly mounted in the first end 13 of the tubular housing 1 between the battery unit 12 and the heat dissipating member 5, and is formed with a base hole 150.
The positioning seat 16 is mounted in the first end 13 of the tubular housing 1, abuts against the insulator base 15, and is formed with a central seat hole 160 in spatial communication with the base hole 150, and a peripheral seat hole 161 surrounding the central seat hole 160.
The urging component 17 is received in the peripheral seat hole 161 for urging the heat dissipating member 5 toward the light emitting member 6.
The conductive biasing member 18 is disposed in the base hole 150, and has a first end 181 abutting against the conductive body 53 of the light emitting module 8, and a second end 182 opposite to the first end 181.
The conductive component 19 is disposed in the base hole 150, and has a first end 190 connected to the second end 182 of the conductive biasing member 18, and a second end 191 opposite to the first end 190 and disposed outwardly of the base hole 150.
The insulator rod 102 of the switch 10 is operable to move between a first position (see
The end closure 3 has a first end portion 300 and a second end portion 301 opposite to the first end portion 300 and formed with a retaining space 31 toward the first end portion 300. The end closure 3 further includes a concave insulator member 32 retained in the retaining space 31, and a conductive piece 33 disposed between the insulator member 32 and the first end portion 300. The conductive piece 33 has a first segment 330 mounted on a periphery of the second end portion 301 for contacting the second end 14 of the tubular housing 1, and an opposite second segment 331 extending from the first segment 330 into the retaining space 31.
The conductive urging member 30 is connected to the second segment end 331 of the conductive piece 33, and urges the first electrode 120 of the battery unit 12.
Preferably, the second end 14 of the tubular housing 1 has an inner threaded portion 140 for threadedly engaging the end closure 3.
In operation, as shown in
By virtue of the heat dissipating member 5, heat generated by the LED lamp 61, which accumulates in the space 63, can be effectively dissipated through the tubular housing 1, thereby preventing the light emitting module 8 from being damaged by the heat.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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093141439 | Dec 2004 | TW | national |