In general, the present invention pertains to the art of illumination. In particular, the invention relates to a segmentally extendable modular handheld flashlight and a respective kit-of-parts for assembling the same, with at least one battery segment configurable as an electric charger, in a dismantled conformation.
It is believed that the state of the art is represented by the following patent literature: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,151,583, 5,197,796, 5,791,763, 5,975,712, 6,046,572, 6,652,116, 7,631,984, 8,376,574 as well as by Chinese utility model 201696877U.
Different situations create scenarios where a variety of flashlight alternatives are necessary. For example, outdoor use may require a bright flashlight with a long burn time. Under such a scenario, flashlight size may not be important, which is preferable, as brighter flashlights with longer burn times tend to be larger in size. Nevertheless, there are other scenarios where ease of carry through the use of a smaller less bright flashlight is most important. Consequently, there are a wide variety of flashlights available, each designed to satisfy a different scenario. Unfortunately, this necessitates the purchase as well as the transport of many different flashlights. Accordingly, a flashlight that is bright, provides suitable burn time, and is modular to satisfy different scenarios is known in the art, for instance from the aforementioned patent literature.
The following summary of the invention is provided in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects and features of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and as such it is not intended to particularly identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented below.
The invention was made in view of the deficiencies of the prior art and provides systems, methods and processes for overcoming these deficiencies. According to some embodiments and aspects of the present invention, there is provided, a modular flashlight that includes a flashlight head assembly configured to operate with either one battery or two batteries. In the one battery configuration, the flashlight head assembly is connected with a body adapted to receive a battery therein. Activation of a switch assembly delivers power from the battery to the flashlight head assembly. In the two battery configuration, an extension unit adapted to receive a battery therein connects to the body and the flashlight head assembly connects to the extension unit.
The flashlight head assembly includes an LED driver circuit that drives an LED of the flashlight head assembly. The LED driver circuit includes a voltage buck/boost that provides regulated voltage from the one battery or two batteries to an LED driver. The LED driver circuit further includes a voltage reference circuit that monitors incoming voltage to the buck/boost incoming voltage to a preset value. The LED driver circuit still further includes a current monitor/regulator that maintains a constant current in the LED independent of the voltage applied to the buck/boost.
Flashlights known in the art, for instance from the aforementioned patent literature, all employ replaceable electric batteries, whether researchable or non-researchable. When researchable electric batteries are used, consequent or extended usage of the flashlight is non-advantageously requires currying along replaceable electric batteries and/or electric charger for researchable electric batteries of the segmentally extendable modular handheld flashlight.
According to some embodiments and aspects of the present invention, there is provided, a modular flashlight assemblable from a kit-of-parts, includes at least one battery segment configurable as an electric charger, in a dismantled conformation. The at least one battery includes a driver circuit, configured to increase and/or decrease the input and/or output voltage for researchable electric batteries of the segmentally extendable modular handheld flashlight.
The at least one battery segment, configurable as an electric charger, in a dismantled conformation, preferably provides for charging researchable electric batteries, by being electrically coupled to an external power source; thereby obviating the need of carrying along an electric charger for researchable electric batteries of the segmentally extendable modular handheld flashlight.
The at least one battery segment, configurable as an electric charger, in a dismantled conformation, preferably provides for charging electronic devices, by being electrically coupled to the at least one battery segment, when configured as charger; thereby provide for an expedient and convenient.
The acronym LED, as referred to herein, is to be construed as any light source component, which includes one or more light emitting diodes, used as lighting modules that include one or more such light source components, as well as to lighting systems which include a plurality of such lighting modules. The term light emitting diode or electroluminescent diode refers to any type of carrier injection/junction-based system that is capable of generating radiation in response to an electric signal. Thus, the acronym LED includes, but is not limited to, various semiconductor-based structures that emit light in response to current, light emitting polymers, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), electroluminescent strips, and the like. In particular, the term LED refers to light emitting diodes of all types (including semi-conductor and organic light emitting diodes) that may be configured to generate radiation in one or more of the infrared spectrum, ultraviolet spectrum, and various portions of the visible spectrum (generally including radiation wavelengths from approximately 400 nanometers to approximately 700 nanometers). Some examples of LEDs include, but are not limited to, various types of infrared LEDs, ultraviolet LEDs, red LEDs, blue LEDs, green LEDs, yellow LEDs, amber LEDs, orange LEDs, and white LEDs (discussed further below). It also should be appreciated that LEDs may be configured and/or controlled to generate radiation having various bandwidths (e.g., full widths at half maximum, or FWHM) for a given spectrum (e.g., narrow bandwidth, broad bandwidth), and a variety of dominant wavelengths within a given general color categorization.
The term electric battery, as referred to herein, is to be construed as any device that produces and/or stores electrical energy as a result of a chemical reaction, and may refer to any of a variety of different cell chemistries and configurations including, but not limited to, lithium ion (e.g., lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt oxide, other lithium metal oxides, etc.), lithium ion polymer, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, nickel hydrogen, nickel zinc, silver zinc, or other battery type/configuration. As used herein the term battery and/or term electric battery refers to component that supplies or supply electric energy to a LED assembly. The term battery includes rechargeable batteries and encompasses electrical interconnection of one or more rechargeable cells inside a battery housing.
Whenever in the specification hereunder and particularly in the claims appended hereto a verb, whether in base form or any tense, a gerund or present participle or a past participle are used, such terms as well as preferably other terms are to be construed as actual or constructive, meaning inter alia as being merely optionally or potentially performed and/or being only performed anytime in future.
In addition, as used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise; whereas the term “and” as used herein is also the alternative operator equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
It should be understood, however, that neither the briefly synopsized summary nor particular definitions hereinabove are not to limit interpretation of the invention to the specific forms and examples but rather on the contrary are to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention.
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more comprehensively from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown merely by way of example in the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily complete and components are not essentially to scale; emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles underlying the present invention.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with technology- or business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the effort of such a development might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, reference is now made to
Reference is now further made to
Additional segment 30, configured as an electric charger, as shown in
Modular assemblable flashlight 20 in a single battery configuration, shown in
In a double battery configuration, shown in
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference is now made to
Flashlight 120 in a single battery configuration, as shown in
Kit-of-parts 100 further comprises charring port/s 148 part preferably comprising a driver circuit part configured to increase and/or decrease the input and/or output voltage, charring port housing part (not shown), battery housing 132B, battery 134B, chargers posterior part 158 and posterior watertight closure 160 preferably comprising an embedded compass (not shown).
Kit-of-parts 100 optimally further comprises alternative hood 162, top cover 164, red filter 168 and blue filter 170. It should be acknowledged that alternative hood 162, top cover 164, red filter 168 and blue filter 170 are merely optional and non-limiting constituents of kit-of-parts 100.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above. Rather the scope of the invention is defined by the claims which follow:
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1812719 | Aug 2018 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2019/056637 | 8/5/2019 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2020/031055 | 2/13/2020 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country |
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201696877 | Jan 2011 | CN |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210262622 A1 | Aug 2021 | US |