Claims
- 1. A LED illuminator comprising:a substantially planar outer casing with top, open bottom, sides and ends, adapted to slideably receive an inner body through at least one of its ends or sides; a substantially planar inner body with top, bottom, sides, ends and an edge which slideably mates within the open bottom whereby the bottom of the inner body forms the bottom of the LED illuminator; one or more light emitting diodes mounted along the edge of the inner body with a first and second lead wire; a battery power supply with a first and second terminal mounted within the inner body with its first terminal conductively linked to the first lead wire; a conductive contact strip affixed to, or formed as part of, the outer casing adapted to movably link the second terminal of the battery power supply to the second lead wire; and, a switch formed by sliding the inner body within the inner body receiving catch thereby aligning the contact strip with the top terminal and the second lead wire and supplying current to the one or more light emitting diodes.
- 2. The LED illuminator of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the second lead wire is positioned along the top surface of the inner body.
- 3. The LED illuminator of claim 1 wherein the battery supply is selected from the groups consisting of one or more coin-type, button-type, lithium and flat paper batteries.
- 4. The LED illuminator of claim 1 wherein the edge of the inner body is angular and adapted to retain the inner body slideably within an angular catching edge of the outer casing.
- 5. The LED illuminator of claim 1 further comprising a current limiting device, such as a resistor, placed in-between on the light-emitting diode lead wire and one of the battery terminals; thereby controlling the current supplied to the light emitting diode.
- 6. The LED illuminator of claim 1 further comprising an LED mount, adapted to retain the one or more light emitting diodes, formed as part of the inner body.
- 7. The LED illuminator of claim 6 further comprising:a battery holster, adapted to removably retain the battery power supply, formed as part of the inner body; and, a lead wire guide, formed as part of the inner body, adapted to direct the first lead wire to the bottom of the battery holster and place it in conductive contact with the first terminal of the battery.
- 8. The LED illuminator of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary lead wire guide adapted to place the second lead wire in the proper location for switching.
- 9. The LED illuminator of claim 1 further comprising a focusing lens formed integrally as part of the one or more light emitting diodes whereby the fan angle of the output is predetermined.
- 10. The LED illuminator of claim 9 further comprising one or more auxiliary light emitting diodes placed in series with the one or more light emitting diodes.
- 11. The LED illuminator of claim 10 wherein the one or more auxiliary light emitting diodes have focusing lenses integrally formed therein, each with a fan angle which may be similar or dissimilar to the fan angle of the one or more light emitting diodes.
- 12. The LED illuminator of claim 10 wherein the wavelength of the one or more auxiliary LEDs may be similar or dissimilar to the wavelength of the one or more light emitting diodes.
- 13. The LED illuminator of claim 1 wherein representational material is, formed as part of, affixed or attached to the LED illuminator.
- 14. A LED illuminator comprising:a substantially flat outer casing with top sides and open bottom; a body receiving catch formed in the open bottom; a flat substantially planar plastic inner body, with an angular edge, adapted to slideably latch with the body receiving catch fitting into the open bottom; a LED mount formed within the inner body extending through a portion of the inner body; a first and a second battery mounted within the inner body, each with a first and a second terminal; a LED adapted to seat within the LED mount with a first lead wire in conductive contact with the first terminal of the first battery and a second lead wire in conductive contact with the first terminal of the second battery; a conductively contact strip affixed to or formed as part of the top wall of the body receiving catch adapted to serially link the second terminals of the first and second batteries; and, a sliding switch formed by the movement of the inner body within the body receiving catch by which an operator may selectively switch “on” the current to the LED by moving the inner body forward within the receiving catch thereby protruding the LED beyond the outer casing and aligning the contact strip with the top terminals.
- 15. The LED illuminator of claim 1 wherein the battery supply is selected from the groups consisting of one or more coin-type, button-type, lithium and flat paper batteries.
- 16. The LED illuminator of claim 1 wherein the edge of the inner body is angular and the body receiving catch is adapted to retain the inner body by the angular inner body edge.
- 17. The LED illuminator of claim 14 further comprising a current limiting device, such as a resistor, placed in-between on the LED lead wires and one of the battery terminals; thereby controlling the current supplied to the LED.
- 18. The LED illuminator of claim 14 further comprising:a first battery holster, adapted to removably retain the first battery, formed as part of the inner body; a second battery holster, adapted to removably retain the second, formed as part of the inner body; a first lead wire guide, formed as an open channel in the inner body, adapted to direct the first lead wire to the first terminal of the first battery holster; and, a second lead wire guide, formed as an open channel in the inner body, adapted to direct the second lead wire to the first terminal of the second battery holster.
- 19. The LED illuminator of claim 14 further comprising a focusing lens formed integrally as part of the LED whereby the fan angle of the output is predetermined.
- 20. The LED illuminator of claim 14 further comprising one or more auxiliary LEDs placed in series with the LED.
- 21. The LED illuminator of claim 20 wherein the one or more auxiliary LEDs have focusing lenses integrally formed therein, each with a fan angle which may be similar or dissimilar to the fan angle of the LED.
- 22. The LED illuminator of claim 20 wherein the wavelength of the one or more auxiliary LEDs may be similar or dissimilar to the wavelength of the LED.
- 23. The LED illuminator of claim 14 wherein representational material is, formed as part of, affixed or attached to the LED illuminator.
- 24. The LED illuminator of claim 14 further comprising texture on at least one of the inner body and outer casing.
- 25. The LED illuminator of claim 14 further comprising one or more flat mounting tabs extending from the LED adapted to encourage the LED to remain within the LED mount.
- 26. The LED illuminator of claim 6 further comprising one or more tapered mounting tabs extending from the LED adapted to encourage the LED to remain within the LED mount.
- 27. A slide-switched illuminator comprising:a substantially card shaped outer casing, with sides, a top surface which may be textured and with a body receiving catch formed in its open bottom; a catching edge formed through one or more sides or ends of the outer casing communicating with the open bottom defining the body receiving catch; a flat substantially planar plastic inner body, with a latching edge, which may have a textured bottom, and is adapted To slideably mate with the body receiving catch of the outer casing; a LED mount formed within the inner body extending through a portion of the inner body; a first and a second battery; a first battery holster, adapted to removably retain the first battery, formed as part of the inner body; a second battery holster, adapted to removably retain the second, formed as part of the inner body; a first lead wire guide, formed as part of the inner body, adapted to direct the first lead wire to the bottom of the first battery holster; and, a second lead wire guide, formed as part of the inner body, adapted to direct the second lead wire to the bottom of the second battery holster; a LED adapted to seat within the LED mount with a first lead wire in conductive contact with the bottom terminal of the first battery and a second lead wire in conductive contact with the bottom terminal of the second battery; a conductively contact strip affixed to or formed as part of the top wall of the body receiving catch adapted to serially link the top terminals of the first and second batteries; and, a sliding switch formed by the movement of the inner body within the body receiving catch by which an operator may selectively switch “on” the current to the LED by aligning the contact strip with the top terminals.
- 28. The slide-switched illuminator of claim 14 wherein representational material is, formed as part of, affixed or attached to the LED illuminator.
- 29. The slide-switched illuminator of claim 27 further comprising one or more flat mounting tabs extending from opposite sides of the LED adapted to encourage the LED to remain within the LED mount.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
The invention claims the benefit, under Title 35, United States Code 119 (e), of Provisional Patent Applications: No. 60/202,894, filed May 10, 2000, entitled “Flat Illuminator” and, No. 60/253,188, filed Nov. 27, 2000, entitled “Side Switched Flat Illuminator” and is also related to Applicants' pending application filed Dec. 19, 2000, entitled “Side Switched Flat Illuminator” Ser. No. 09/740,472.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/202894 |
May 2000 |
US |
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60/253188 |
Nov 2000 |
US |