US 5,203,624 AGranted

Hazard warning device

AssigneeG.A. Thompson Company, Inc.

InventorsJ. Alan Schier, Karl G. Thompson, Gregg F. Thompson

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Abstract

A portable electric warning light comprises an elongated electrically conducting housing to which an end cap is connected at one end to provide an on/off switch function and to which a gas discharge flash tube is connected at the other end for emitting, through both end and side walls of a cover connected to the housing, bright flashes of light in response to the operation of batteries and an electronic circuit contained within the housing. The batteries are rechargeable, which can be accomplished in a particular implementation wherein external terminals provide access to the batteries without disassembling the light. The connection of one end of the batteries to the electronic circuit is made through the end cap assembly and the housing, and in one embodiment the connection of the other end of the batteries to the electronic circuit is made through the metallic housing of a flash capacitor forming part of the circuit. In another embodiment, this latter connection is made through a conductive path around the outside of an insulated housing of the flash capacitor. The end cap and a bumper member can be used for supporting the housing off a supporting surface.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A portable electric warning light, comprising:

an elongated metallic, electrically conductive housing having two ends and an internal chamber;
a plurality of batteries disposed linearly in electrical series within said internal chamber so that a first terminal of said batteries is at one end of said housing and a second terminal of said batteries is intermediate the two ends of said housing;
closure means for fluid tightly closing said one end of said housing and for activating said warning light, said closure means including:
an end cap connected to said housing at said one end thereof so that said end cap is movable between first and second positions relative to said housing;
seal means for providing a fluid tight seal between said end cap and said housing when said end cap is connected to said housing at said second position;
and
connecting means for electrically connecting said first terminal of said batteries to said housing when said end cap is connected to said housing at said second position;
a gas discharge flash tube connected to the other end of said housing;
a cover overlying said gas discharge flash tube and connected to said housing at said other end thereof, said cover having a side wall and an end wall both of material which permits passage of visible light therethrough;
and
electronic means, connected to said gas discharge flash tube and said housing, for causing said gas discharge flash tube to emit flashes of light visible through said cover when said end cap is connected to said housing at said second position so that said connecting means connects said first terminal of said batteries to said housing, wherein said electronic means includes a flash capacitor disposed in said housing between said batteries and said gas discharge flash tube.

8 more elements

A portable electric warning light, comprising:

an electrically conductive sleeve having two threaded ends;
an end cap threadedly connected to one end of said sleeve so that said end cap can be screwed on to an activation position or unscrewed from the activation position;
a sealing ring disposed between said sleeve and said end cap when said end cap is screwed on said sleeve to the activation position;
an electrically conductive disk retained in said end cap so that said disk and said sleeve contact each other when said end cap is screwed on said sleeve to the activation position;
an electrically conductive rivet disposed through said end cap and said disk so that one end of said rivet is on the outside of said end cap and the other end of said rivet is in electrical contact with said disk;
a plurality of batteries disposed in electrical series in said sleeve so that one terminal of said batteries is in electrical contact with said other end of said rivet when said end cap is screwed on said sleeve to the activation position;
a gas discharge flash tube disposed at the other threaded end of said sleeve;
oscillator circuit means for providing oscillating signals to said flash tube, said oscillator circuit means including a first portion disposed in said sleeve adjacent said flash tube, and said oscillator circuit means further including a second portion comprising a flash capacitor, disposed in said sleeve between said batteries and said first portion of said oscillator circuit means, and further comprising means for electrically connecting another terminal of said batteries to said oscillator circuit means;
and
a cover overlying said flash tube and threadedly connected to said other threaded end of said sleeve.

7 more elements

A portable electric warning light, comprising:

a distinctively colored aluminum sleeve having threaded ends;
a plastic end cap threadedly connected to one end of said sleeve;
a sealing ring disposed between said sleeve and said end cap;
an electrically conductive disk retained in said end cap so that said disk and said sleeve contact each other when said end cap is threadedly connected to said sleeve;
an electrically conductive rivet disposed through said end cap and said disk so that one end of said rivet is on the outside of said end cap and the other end of said rivet abuts said disk;
three rechargeable batteries disposed in electrical series in said sleeve so that one terminal of said batteries is in electrical contact with said other end of said rivet when said end cap is threadedly connected to said sleeve, each of said batteries having a nominal 1.2-volt rating;
an electrically conductive spring disposed in said sleeve so that one end of said spring abuts one terminal of said batteries;
a flash capacitor having an electrically conductive member thereon, said flash capacitor disposed in said sleeve so that said electrically conductive member is in electrical contact with the other terminal of said batteries opposite the terminal thereof in electrical contact with said rivet;
a xenon flash tube disposed at the other threaded end of said sleeve;
oscillator circuit means for providing oscillating signals to said xenon flash tube, said oscillator circuit means disposed in said sleeve between said flash capacitor and said xenon flash tube and connected thereto, said flash capacitor incorporated in said oscillator circuit means;
and
a transparent polycarbonate plastic lens cover overlying said xenon flash tube and threadedly connected to said other threaded end of said sleeve.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.