US2837630A - Waterproof flashlight - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1958 YEN TING SHEN 2,837,630

WATERPROOF FLASHLIGHT Filed Aug. 25, 1955 A TI'OP/WE/ Yen Ting Siren, Kowloon, Hong Kong, assignor to Torch Manufacturing'Corp Glenbrook, Conm, a corporation or New York Application August 25, 1955, Serial No. 530,457

6 Claims. Cl. 240-406) This invention relates to battery-operated flashlights and more particularly to a construction which renders the flashlight waterproof.

Water tight and shock resistant casings for flashlights fabricated of rubber have been known in'the past but such flashlights have been unsatisfactory ior a variety of reasons. For example, the construction necessary to render the article waterproof has often been such as to interfere with the ease of removing and. replacing worn out batteries or bulbs. in fact, in the opinion. of many in the industry, these difliculties have. been so great as to render such flashlights substantially useless; Furthermore, in addition to these objections, the flashlight casing often leaked and caused the operating mechanism to corrode.

With the foregoing in mind,'I have devised a flashlight which is waterproof and which nevertheless permits the batteries or bulb to be removed and replaced with the utmost of ease. The flashlight of this invention has many other advantageous features, forexample, the inclusion of the lens in a removable head assembly so that the lens itself need not be disturbed when the batteries are to be changed. This improves the sealing means atthe head assembly or lens portion of the flashlight.

In the form shown, the objectives are realized by providing a two piece casing, one piece consisting of the body of the flashlight which comprises a rubber housing having a flexible lip or flange defining an open mouth. The head assembly comprises the lens, a reflector and a bulb all of which are maintained in. a rubber sleeve which is arranged to be overlapped and embracedby the housing flange. Disassembly of the article is rendered simple by folding or rolling'back the embracing flange so as to release the head assembly and thereafter unscrewing such head assembly from the flashlight body. This action not only exposes the battery container but further makes it simple to remove the bulb for replacement if necessary.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in-which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a flashlightcons'tructed according to the instant invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View illustrating the release of the head assembly; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged frontielevational view-of the article.

The waterproof casing of the flashlight comprises two members, i. e., a tubular housing and a head assembly 11. These are formed of resilient rubber material and may be molded in the form shown. Housing 10 is formed with an axially extending annular flange 12 on the open end thereof. The other end of the housing is closed as is conventional and may be provided with a carrying ring 13 as is conventional. Immediately below the flange 12 is formed an integral, annular, outward protuberance 14, which, as will be shown hereinafter, may be employed rates Patmt Y tegral portions 15 2,837,630 latented June 3, 8

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The tubular housing is further provided with raised inand 16 which take on the appearance of buttons or the like and which are employed to transmit pressure from the outside of the flexible housing to the controls 17 and 18 which are part of the switch mechanism connected to the metal battery container 19. The actual details of the switch mechanism and battery container 19 may be conventional and no claim is made thereto. Suflice it to note that when button 15 is de pressed, it snaps the switch to an on position while when button 16 is pressed,:it will serve as a release so as to represent the 011 position. 7 p

The inner wall of the housing, at the base of flange-12, is formed with a downwardly inclined annular shoulder 20 adapted to seat the lip of the head assembly as will hereinafter be described.

The head assembly comprises a rubber sleeve 21 at the j top inner end of which is formed an undercut annular: groove 23. A transparent panel 24 serves as a lensand itv is provided with a rubber sealing ring 25 which is .,U f shaped in cross-section and embraces the annular periplieral edge of panel 24. Panel24 together with its sealing ring 25 is seated in the groove 23.

The lower lip 26 of sleeve 21 is downwardly inclined from the inner Wall to the outer wall thereof so as to be seated on the shoulder 20 of the housing. withinsleeve 21 is the screw ring 27 whichengages the threaded upper end of battery container "19. Both the battery container and the screw ring 27- are conventional. As will be observed in the broken lines of- Figure 2, the screw ring 27 serves to maintain a conventional form of reflector 28 therein, with the bulb 29 protruding from the rear thereof so as to be accessible when the screw ring is unscrewed from the battery container. The battery container houses batteries 30 which make electrical contact with the bulb as well as with the switch in conventional fashion.

The flashlight is used as follows:

When in the position of Figures -1 and-2, either button 15 or 16 may be pressed inwardly to either light or extinguish the bulb. The flange 12 which takes the form of a straight, hollow, cylindrical section, overlaps the sleeve 21 and lies flatly thereover so as to provide a waterproof seal. Accordingly, the flashlight may be used under water or any like environments. It is further sturdy and shock resistant.

When it is necessary to replace the batteries or the bulb, the flange 12 is rolled rearwardly and folded back. In this position it may embrace theprotuberance 14, such protuberance being of greater diameter than the flange and accordingly of value in maintaining the flange in its rolled back position. However, a protuberance may be dispensed with in some circumstances since it has been found that the flange may also be held in itsrolled back position even when it is folded back upon itself.

The folding back of flange 12 :enables the head a4- sembly including the screw ring 27 as well as the reflector and bulb, to be removed from housing 19 and battery container 19 by unscrewing it therefrom. It will be observed that the thickness of sleeve 21 is greater than that of flange 12, thus making the flange easily bendable while nevertheless normally maintaining a firm embracing connection with the relatively sturdy sleeve 21. Further, the sturdiness of the sleeve 21 permits it to be more easily manipulated by the user in removing the head assembly.

With the head assembly removed, the open upper end of the battery container '19 is exposed and the batteries may very easily beirehaovedtherefrom, as may the re- .thethreaded open end of container 19 again embrace the sleeve cordingly,

any water which may flector 28 and therefore the bulb 29 from the sleeve 21.

Re-assembly of the device is correspondingly facilitated, it being only necessary to screw down the ring 2'7 over whereupon the downwardly inclined lip 26 of the sleeve 21 becomes seated in the downwardly At this time, the flange 12 is simply rolled forwardly from its seated position on protuberance 14 whereupon it may 21 in a waterproof seal. Acnotwithstanding the reliability of the waterproof connection under normal circumstances, the ex- ;posure of the battery container or re-assernbly of the article is a matter of a few seconds and most easily accomplished.

It will be observed that the conical reflector 28 has its forward reflecting surface protected from the effects of possibly enter through the seal. the fact that the lower lip 26 of sleeve 21 surrounds the non-reflecting rear surface of the reflector at about the apex thereof. Accordingly even if water should penetrate the seal, it will remain behind the reflector where it will not corrode the reflecting surface.

There has been shown what is now considered a preferred The reason therefor is embodiment of the invention but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made with- 'out departing from its spirit.

. What is-claimed is:

1. A waterproof casing for an electrical flashlight comprising an elongated tubular housing fabricated of flexible, waterproof material, said housing being open at one end and being otherwise imperforate, an annular flange on the open end of the housing, said flange being axially elongated and comprising a straight hollow cylindrical section, a head assembly removably embraced by said flange, said head assembly comprising a sleeve fabricated of waterproof material, said sleeve being overlapped by said flange and lying flatly thereunder, the overlapping of said sleeve by said flange effecting a waterproof seal therewith, the thickness of said flange being uniformly less than that of said sleeve so as to be easily bendable relative thereto whereby it may be rolled on to or off of the sleeve and may be folded back so as to release the sleeve, and said housing being formed with an annular, outward protuberance immediately below said flange and of a diameter greater than said flange whereby said flange may be rolled back onto said protuberance so as to be engaged thereby for maintaining the flange in the rolled back position whereby said head assembly may be removed or replaced.

2. A waterproof electric flashlight comprising a tubular housing fabricated of resilient rubber and adapted to enclose flashlight operating mechanism, said housing being open at one end and being otherwise imperforate, an integral axially extending annular flange on the open end of the housing, said flange being axially elongated and comprising a straight, hollow cylindrical section, a head assembly removably embraced by said flange, said head assembly comprising a rubber sleeve having a lower lip, a transparent panel disposed in the top end of said sleeve, said sleeve being overlapped by said flange and lying flatly thereunder, said head assembly including a inclined shoulder 20, this ex- ,pedient offering a further waterproofing of the connection.

bulb, a conical reflector having a forward reflecting surface and a rear non-reflecting surface, said sleeve lower lip extending annularly around said rear non-reflecting surface adjacent the apex end of the conical reflector and a screw ring engaged with said flashlight operating mechanism, the overlapping of said sleeve by said flange effecting a waterproof seal therewith, and said flange being bendable rearwardly whereby it may be folded back so as to release said sleeve.

3. The article according to claim 2 and wherein the thickness of said flange is uniformly less than that of said sleeve so as to be easily bendable relative thereto, said sleeve being formed with an undercut annular groove at its top end, and a rubber sealing ring engaging the peripheral edge of said panel and seated in said groove.

4. The article according to claim 3 and wherein said housing is formed with an annular, outward protuberance immediately below said flange and of a greater diameter than said flange whereby said flange may be rolled back onto said protuberance so as to be engaged thereby for maintaining the flange in the rolled back position whereby said head assembly may be removed or flashlight operating mechanism including a metallic battery container and a switch operable through pressure exerted against the outer wall of said housing, said screw ring being threaded to'the top end of said battery container.

5. A waterproof electric flashlight comprising a tubular housing fabricated of flexible, resilient waterproof material, said housing being open at one end and being otherwise imperforate, a head assembly removably connected to said housing at its open end, said head assembly comprising a sleeve also fabricated of said material and a transparent panel maintained in said sleeve, said head assembly being adapted to house a reflector and a bulb, said reflector being conical and having a forward reflecting surface and a rear non-reflecting surface, the connection of said head assembly member to said housing member comprising a bendable, annular, axially extending flange on one of said members, said flange overlapping an end of the other of said members and thereby effecting a waterproof seal therewith, said end of the other of said members surrounding the rear non-reflecting surface of said reflector at approximately the apex end thereof.

6. The article according to claim 5 and wherein said housing, flange, and sleeve are all fabricated of resilient rubber, said flange being uniformly of thinner rubber relative to said overlapped end of said other member so as to be more easily bendable and being rollable back so as to release said overlapped end.

References Cited in the file of this patent

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