Compass with LED illumination

A compass comprising:

• a compass rose, the compass rose having an array of indicia around the periphery thereof and a bar magnet thereon, the indicia including indicia aligned with the bar identifying the direction "North" and indicia disposed at 90.degree. to the magnetic bar identifying the directions "East" and "West", phosphorescent material disposed at the indicia identifying the North, East and West directions, the compass rose having a bearing surface at the center thereof;
• a copper cup having a bottom wall with an inner and outer surface and a circular side wall, the copper cup having an interior surface defined by the bottom and side walls which is colored white, the copper cup having an outer surface defined by the side walls and back of the bottom wall which is covered with a resilient water proof covering,
• a pivot projecting from the center of the cup upon which the compass rose centrally bears retained for free rotation, the cup having an opening through the bottom thereof adjacent the side wall thereof for receiving a light emitting diode and a transparent plastic covering for the cup, the plastic cover having a lubber line thereon aligned with the opening and the plastic cover enclosing the compass rose within the plastic cup;
• a compass case for receiving the copper cup with the compass rose enclosed therein, the case including a lid attached thereto by a hinge which is adjacent the opening through the cup when the cup is received within the case, the hinged lid including an opening therethrough having a cross hair extending therein in alignment with the light emitting diode opening in the cup, the lid having phosphorescent strips on the inside surface thereon adjacent opposite ends of the cross hair, the case further having a back which is attached to the case in spaced relation to the back surface of the cup when the cup is mounted in the case;
• a bezel with a phosphorescent strip adjacent the periphery thereof, the bezel being rotatably mounted on the casing between the casing and the lid when the lid is closed;
• a mounting plate secured to the back of the cup, the mounting plate having a front surface in engagement with the cup and a back surface facing the back plate of the case;
• a light emitting diode mounted on the mounting plate and aligned with the opening in the cup, the light emitting diode projecting into a lower part of the cup closely adjacent the bottom of the cup so as not to interfere with the rotation of the compass rose, more particularly when the compass is tilted between about 8 and 10 degrees relative to a horizontal plane;
• a microswitch disposed on the back side of the mounting plate, the switch having a projecting activating plunger and at least a pair of terminals;
• a first contact plate on the back surface of the mounting plate, the first contact plate having a configuration suitable for contacting one pole of a battery;
• a second contact plate having a configuration for contacting another pole of a battery;
• a openable panel a recess through the back panel of the case, the second contact plate being mounted on the inside surface of the cover;
• nonmagnetic lead means connecting switch and contact plates to the light emitting diode;
• a low profile, nonmagnetic battery received between the contact plates and enclosed in the case upon closing the panel for energizing the light emitting diode upon actuation of the plunger projecting from the microswitch;
• a bore extending radially through the back plate of the casing and opening both inside the casing and outside the casing, and
• a spring-projected pushbutton extending through the bore and projecting outside the case for finger engagement whereby the compass is illuminated by the light emitting diode upon pressing a push button.

In a compass of the type comprising a casing means of nonmagnetic material which casing carries a generally liquid resistant compass bowl of non-magnetic material, a bowl-carried rotatable compass rose and with radian and degree directional indicia thereon, a transparent plate overlaying the compass bowl, and a means on said compass rose card for detecting a north direction, the improvement comprising:

• (a) illumination means of a light emitting diode (LED) type including at least one LED mounted in association with said compass bowl and casing so as to illuminate at least part of said compass rose card when the LED is energized;
• (b) miniature power source means and electrical circuit means operatively dispossed in said casing including conductor lead means operatively disposed in said casing including conductor leas means interconnecting said LED and power source means;
• (c) switch means interposed in said circuit means so as to effect selective energizing and deenergizing of said LED to provide illumination by which to read the compass under darkened and night time conditions;
• and
• (d) wherein said LED, miniature power sourch means, circuit and switch means are all of a non-magnetic character so as to avoid adverse deflection of said north direction detecting means and erroneous reading thereof.