EL flashlight
US4144557A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 1977 |
| Grant date | Mar 13, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF21Y2115/20
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A flat, disc-shaped EL lamp is removably mounted in the head of a conventional flashlight casing between the usual transparent lens and the bowl-shaped metal housing, which usually forms the reflector for a flashlight bulb. In this case, however, a converter circuit is potted in the housing and includes a spring contact, which projects from the front of the housing into resilient contact with a foil disc secured to the back of the EL lamp. The foil disc is connected to the back electrode of the lamp, and the front electrode is connected to a metal rivet which is seated against the periphery of the metal housing. When the switch on the flashlight is moved to its ON position, DC power from the batteries is converted by the potted circuit to an AC signal which is applied to the EL lamp electrodes to make the lamp glow.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.