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US 6,886,960 B2Granted
Flashlight pushbutton switch
AssigneeStreamlight, Inc.
InventorsRaymond L. Sharrah, Robert A. Kline, Charles W. Craft
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch as for a flashlight selectively connects, for example, a solid state light source and a battery in the flashlight in circuit for causing the solid state light source to produce light. The switch comprises a pushbutton and a metal contact having a periphery that selectively contacts a housing, and a spring. Pressing the pushbutton moves the pushbutton and the metal contact to contact the housing. The metal contact may include a feature for centering the metal contact with respect to the pushbutton and thus with respect to the housing end. The switch may be disposed in a tail cap attached to a flashlight housing.
Claims46
A switch for a flashlight including a housing having a cylindrical end, said switch comprising:
- a hollow cylindrical can engaging the cylindrical end of the housing;
- a pushbutton in said cylindrical can and movable axially therein;
- a metal electrical contact having a circular periphery and a central opening, said metal electrical contact engaging said pushbutton and being movable axially in said cylindrical can with said pushbutton to selectively contact the cylindrical end of the housing for making selective electrical contact therewith;
- and
- a coil spring disposed axially for urging said metal electrical contact and said pushbutton away from the housing in said cylindrical cap, said coil spring having a larger diameter portion and having a smaller diameter portion disposed in the central opening of said metal electrical contact.
2 more elements
A switch for a flashlight including a housing having a cylindrical end, said switch comprising:
- a hollow cylindrical cap engaging the cylindrical end of the housing;
- a pushbutton in said cylindrical cap and movable axially therein;
- a metal electrical contact having a circular periphery and a central opening, said metal electrical contact engaging said pushbutton and being movable axially in said cylindrical cap with said pushbutton to selectively contact the cylindrical end of the housing for making selective electrical contact therewith;
- and
- a coil spring disposed axially for urging said metal electrical contact and said pushbutton away from the housing in said cylindrical cap, said coil spring having a larger diameter portion and having a smaller diameter portion disposed in the central opening of said metal electrical contact,
- wherein the larger diameter portion of said coil spring is of non-uniform diameter.
3 more elements
A switch and a flashlight comprising:
- a flashlight housing having a conductive end;
- a light source located in said flashlight housing for projecting light from said flashlight housing when said light source is energized;
- a battery in said flashlight housing and electrically connected to said light source and to the conductive end of said flashlight housing;
- a cap attached to the conductive end of said flashlight housing and having a hole therein;
- and
- a pushbutton switch in said cap comprising:
- a pushbutton in said cap and extending through the hole therein,
- wherein the pushbutton is movable in said cap;
- a metal contact having a circular periphery proximate said pushbutton and having a central opening therethrough, said metal contact engaging said pushbutton and being movable with said pushbutton for selectively making an electrical connection between said battery and the conductive end of said flashlight housing;
- and
- a spring for biasing said metal contact and said pushbutton away from the conductive end of said flashlight housing, said spring having a larger diameter portion and a smaller diameter portion disposed in the central opening of said metal electrical contact,
- whereby said light source and said battery are selectively connected in circuit by said metal contact for causing said light source to selectively produce light responsive to moving said pushbutton.
9 more elements
A switch and a flashlight comprising:
- a flashlight housing having a conductive end;
- a light source located in said flashlight housing for projecting light from said flashlight housing when said light source is energized;
- a battery in said flashlight housing and electrically connected to said light source and to the conductive end of said flashlight housing;
- a cap attached to the conductive end of said flashlight housing and having a hole therein;
- and
- a pushbutton switch in said cap comprising:
- a pushbutton in said cap and extending through the hole therein, wherein the pushbutton is movable in said cap;
- a metal contact having a circular periphery proximate said pushbutton and having a central opening therethrough, said metal contact engaging said pushbutton and being movable with said pushbutton for selectively making an electrical connection between said battery and the conductive end of said flashlight housing;
- and
- a spring for biasing said metal contact and said pushbutton away from the conductive end of said flashlight housing, said spring having a larger diameter portion and having a smaller diameter portion disposed in the central opening of said metal contact,
- wherein the larger diameter portion of said spring is of non-uniform diameter.
8 more elements
A tail-cap switch for a flashlight comprising:
- a cylindrical tail cap having an axial bore having a greater diameter portion and a lesser diameter portion defining a shoulder in the bore, wherein the lesser diameter portion of the axial bore defines a hole in said cylindrical tail cap, said cylindrical tail cap having threads at one end thereof for engaging a flashlight;
- a pushbutton in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap and movable axially therein, said pushbutton having an outward circular flange and a cylindrical body portion of lesser diameter than the circular flange thereof;
- a metal ferrule in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap and having an outward circular flange and a central opening, said metal ferrule engaging said pushbutton and being movable axially in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap for selectively making electrical contact with the flashlight;
- and
- a coil spring disposed axially and bearing against the circular flange of said metal ferrule for urging said metal ferrule and said pushbutton toward the shoulder of the bore of said cylindrical tail cap,
- whereby causing said pushbutton to move axially in said cylindrical tail cap causes the circular flange of said metal ferrule to move axially relative to the flashlight and to selectively contact and not contact the flashlight.
3 more elements
A tail-cap switch comprising:
- a cylindrical tail cap having an axial bore having a greater diameter portion and a lesser diameter portion defining a shoulder in the bore, wherein the lesser diameter portion of the axial bore defines a hole in said cylindrical tail cap, said cylindrical tail cap having threads at one end thereof;
- a pushbutton in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap and movable axially therein, said pushbutton having an outward circular flange;
- a metal electrical contact in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap, said metal electrical contact having an outward circular flange and a central opening therethrough, said metal electrical contact engaging said pushbutton and being movable axially therewith in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap for selectively making electrical contact;
- and
- a coil spring disposed axially for urging said metal electrical contact and said pushbutton toward the shoulder of the bore of said cylindrical tail cap, said coil spring having a larger diameter portion and having a smaller diameter portion disposed in the central opening of said metal electrical contact,
- whereby causing said pushbutton to move axially in said cylindrical tail cap causes said metal electrical contact to move axially for selectively making and breaking contact.
3 more elements
A tail-can switch comprising:
- a cylindrical tail can having an axial bore having a greater diameter portion and a lesser diameter portion defining a shoulder in the bore, wherein the lesser diameter portion of the axial bore defines a hole in said cylindrical tail cap, said cylindrical tail cap having threads at one end thereof;
- a pushbutton in the bore of said cylindrical tail can and movable axially therein, said pushbutton having an outward circular flange;
- a metal electrical contact in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap, said metal electrical contact having an outward circular flange and a central opening therethrough, said metal electrical contact engaging said pushbutton and being movable axially therewith in the bore of said cylindrical tail cap for selectively making electrical contact;
- and
- a coil spring disposed axially for urging said metal electrical contact and said pushbutton toward the shoulder of the bore of said cylindrical tail cap, said coil spring having a larger diameter portion and having a smaller diameter portion disposed in the central opening of said metal electrical contact,
- wherein the larger diameter portion of said coil spring is of non-uniform diameter.
3 more elements
A switch comprising:
- a pushbutton having an outward circular flange and a rearward cylindrical body portion of lesser diameter than the circular flange thereof, said pushbutton also having a recessed engaging feature;
- a metal contact having an outward circular contact flange and a projecting engaging feature thereon for engaging the recessed engaging feature of said pushbutton, wherein the circular contact flange of said metal contact is proximate the outward circular flange of said pushbutton;
- and
- an electrically conductive coil spring disposed for electrically contacting said metal contact and for urging said metal contact and said pushbutton in the same direction.
1 more element
A switch assembly comprising:
- a pushbutton having an outward circular flange and a rearward cylindrical body portion of lesser diameter than the circular flange thereof, said pushbutton also having a radially symmetric engaging feature;
- a metal contact ferrule having an outward circular contact flange and a radially symmetric engaging feature thereon complementary to and engaging the radially symmetric engaging feature of said pushbutton, wherein the circular contact flange of said metal contact ferrule is proximate the outward circular flange of said pushbutton;
- and
- an electrically conductive coil spring disposed axially with respect to said pushbutton and having larger and smaller diameter portions, the larger diameter portion thereof electrically contacting said metal contact ferrule for urging said metal contact ferrule and said pushbutton in the same direction.
1 more element
A switch assembly comprising:
- a pushbutton having an outward circular flange and a rearward cylindrical body portion of lesser diameter than the circular flange thereof, said pushbutton also having a radially symmetric engaging feature;
- a metal contact ferrule having an outward circular contact flange and a radially symmetric engaging feature thereon complementary to and engaging the radially symmetric engaging feature of said pushbutton, wherein the circular contact flange of said metal contact ferrule is proximate the outward circular flange of said pushbutton;
- and
- an electrically conductive coil spring disposed axially with respect to said pushbutton and having larger and smaller diameter portions, the larger diameter portion thereof electrically contacting said metal contact ferrule for urging said metal contact ferrule and said pushbutton in the same direction,
- wherein the larger diameter portion of said coil spring is of non-uniform diameter.
2 more elements
A switch assembly comprising:
- a pushbutton having an outward circular flange and a cylindrical body portion of lesser diameter than the circular flange thereof, wherein said pushbutton is electrically insulating and has an axial opening in the outward circular flange end thereof;
- a metal electrical contact having an outward circular contact flange and having a central opening therethrough, said metal electrical contact abutting the outward circular flange of said pushbutton;
- wherein said pushbutton and said metal electrical contact have complementary means for maintaining said pushbutton and said metal electrical contact in a predetermined radial relationship;
- and
- an electrically conductive coil spring disposed axially with respect to said pushbutton and extending through the central opening of said metal electrical contact into the axial opening of said pushbutton for electrically contacting the metal electrical contact, said coil spring for urging the metal electrical contact and said pushbutton in the same direction.
2 more elements
A pushbutton switch flashlight comprising:
- a cylindrical housing having a hole at a forward end thereof, wherein said housing is electrically conductive;
- a solid state light source in said housing projecting through the hole at the forward end of said housing;
- at least one battery in said housing;
- a tail cap attached to said housing at a rearward end thereof;
- and
- a switch located in said tail cap for selectively connecting said solid state light source and said at least one battery in circuit for causing said solid state light source to produce light, said circuit including said electrically conductive housing,
- said switch including:
- a pushbutton moveable axially in said tail cap and having an axial cavity;
- a metal electrical contact moveable axially in said tail cap with said pushbutton and having a circular contact flange movable to contact said housing, and
- an electrically conductive spring for providing electrical contact between said metal electrical contact and said at least one battery, said spring having a reduced diameter portion extending into the cavity of said pushbutton.
7 more elements
A pocket-sized pushbutton switch flashlight comprising:
- an elongated hollow cylindrical metal housing having a hole at a forward end thereof;
- a solid state light source located in said housing and having a light-emitting lens projecting through the hole at the forward end of the metal housing, said solid state light source having first and second electrical leads, the first electrical lead making electrical contact to said metal housing;
- a plurality of batteries in series connection in said housing and connected to the second electrical lead of said solid state light source;
- a tail cap attached to said metal housing at a rearward end thereof and having a hole therein;
- and
- a pushbutton switch located in said tail cap and extending through the hole therein for selectively connecting said plurality of batteries to said metal housing,
- said pushbutton switch including:
- a metal ferrule having a circular contact flange extending radially outward and moveable axially for selectively contacting said metal housing responsive to said pushbutton switch being pressed, said metal ferrule having a centering feature for centering said metal ferrule in said tail cap;
- and
- a metal coil spring for electrically connecting said metal ferrule to said plurality of batteries and for urging said metal ferrule away from said metal housing, said metal coil spring having a smaller diameter portion extending into the centering feature of said metal ferrule,
- whereby said solid state light source and said batteries are selectively connected in circuit for causing said solid state light source to selectively produce light responsive to said pushbutton switch.
8 more elements
A switch assembly comprising:
- a pushbutton having an outward circular flange and a cylindrical body portion of lesser diameter than the circular flange thereof, wherein said pushbutton is electrically insulating and has an axial opening in the outward circular flange end thereof;
- a metal electrical contact having an outward circular contact flange and having a central opening therethrough, said metal electrical contact abutting the outward circular flange of said pushbutton;
- wherein said pushbutton and said metal electrical contact have complementary means for maintaining said pushbutton and said metal electrical contact in a predetermined radial relationship;
- and
- an electrically conductive coil spring disposed axially with respect to said pushbutton and extending through the central opening of said metal electrical contact into the axial opening of said pushbutton for electrically contacting the metal electrical contact, said coil spring for urging the metal electrical contact and said pushbutton in the same direction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.