Generator flashlight

A self-generating hand-held flashlight comprising:

• a tubular housing having first and second coaxial compartments, said second compartment having a diameter that is at least 1.5 times as large as the diameter of said first compartment;
• a bulb mounted in a reflector plate positioned at one end of said housing;
• a generator positioned in said first compartment of said housing, said generator having a rotor adapted to rotate about a central axis of said tubular housing and said generator being electrically coupled to said bulb;
• a high inertia balanced flywheel rotatably mounted in said second compartment about said central axis, said flywheel being directly coupled through a central rotatable shaft to said rotor of said generator, said flywheel having a diameter at least 1.4 times as large as the diameter of said first housing;
• manual means for coupling a burst of rotational energy to said flywheel, said means including a slip-clutch adapted to couple said flywheel to externally applied manual energy during an excitation period, and for de-coupling said flywheel from externally applied manual energy during a non-excitation period;
• and
• a plurality of bearings selectively positioned along said shaft for holding said shaft in its desired central position and for minimizing frictional and other losses associated with the rotation of said flywheel, shaft, and rotor of said generator, thereby allowing said flywheel, shaft, and generator rotor to rotate for a relatively long period of time after the application of a short burst of manual rotational energy to said flywheel through said manual means;
• whereby said flashlight provides a continuous source of light over both said excitation and non-excitation periods, said non-excitation period being at lease four times as long as said excitation period.