Hand holdable light having an ergonomic grip and a battery assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054124-B2
Application number	US-202016987134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Aug 16, 2019
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A hand holdable light comprises: a light body having a forward portion, a rearward portion, and a central portion between the forward portion and to the rearward portion; a light source proximate a forward end; and a switch for energizing the light source. The rearward portion has a non-circular cross-section; the switch is on the forward portion; and the central portion has a recess opposite the switch. The light is holdable by a hand with a finger or thumb proximate the recess and the other of a finger or thumb proximate the switch. A battery assembly comprises: a battery housing for receiving and connecting a battery; an electrical switch on a first end of the battery housing; and a pattern of electrical contacts on a second end of the battery housing, wherein ones of the electrical contacts are connected to the battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hand holdable light comprising:
a light body having a forward end and a rearward end, and having a cavity for receiving a source of electrical power, said light body having a forward portion proximate the forward end thereof, a rearward portion proximate the rearward end thereof, and a central portion between and adjacent to the forward portion and to the rearward portion thereof;
a light source proximate the forward end of said light body;
a switch actuator on said light body for selectively energizing said light source from the source of electrical power;
wherein the rearward portion of the light body has a non-circular cross-section having a larger transverse dimension and a smaller transverse dimension;
wherein said switch actuator is disposed substantially on the forward portion of the light body and substantially along a longitudinal line including one end of the larger transverse dimension;
wherein the central portion of the light body has a transverse dimension that is less than the larger transverse dimension of the rearward portion, thereby defining a recess in said central portion on a side of said light body that is opposite to said switch actuator;
whereby the light is holdable by a hand having a palm proximate the rearward portion, a finger or a thumb proximate the recess of the central portion and the other of a finger or a thumb proximate said switch actuator.

2. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein said light body has a longitudinal recess in which said switch actuator is disposed.

3. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein said light body:
includes a second actuator on the rearward end of said light body; or
has a transverse recess in the rearward end of said light body; or
has a transverse recess in the rearward end of said light body in the direction of the larger transverse dimension thereof; or
includes a second actuator disposed in a transverse recess on the rearward end of said light body; or
includes a second actuator disposed in a transverse recess on the rearward end of said light body in the direction of the larger transverse dimension thereof.

4. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein:
the rearward portion of said light body has a cross-section defining a flattened cylindrical shape, an oval shape or an elliptical shape; or
the central portion of said light body has a cross-section defining a flattened cylindrical shape, an oval shape or an elliptical shape having a larger transverse dimension that is in the same direction as the larger transverse dimension of the rearward portion and is smaller than the larger transverse dimension of the rearward portion; or
the rearward portion of said light body has a cross-section defining a flattened cylindrical shape, an oval shape or an elliptical shape and the central portion of said light body has a cross-section defining a flattened cylindrical shape, an oval shape or an elliptical shape having a larger transverse dimension that is in the same direction as the larger transverse dimension of the rearward portion and is smaller than the larger transverse dimension of the rearward portion.

5. The hand holdable light of claim 1 further comprising:
a mode selecting actuator disposed on said light body adjacent to said switch actuator for selecting operating modes for said light source; or
a mode selecting actuator disposed on the forward portion of said light body adjacent to said switch actuator for selecting operating modes for said light source; or
a mode selecting actuator disposed on the forward portion of said light body adjacent to and in line forward of said switch actuator for selecting operating modes for said light source.

6. The hand holdable light of claim 5 wherein said mode selecting actuator is movable in a direction along an exterior surface of said light body for actuating a mode selecting electrical switch in said light body, wherein:
the mode selecting electrical switch is responsive to the position of said mode selecting actuator for selecting operating modes for said light source; or
the mode selecting electrical switch is responsive to the position of a magnet of said mode selecting actuator for selecting operating modes for said light source; or
the mode selecting electrical switch is a Hall-effect device or is a magnetic reed switch that is responsive to the magnetic field of a magnet of said mode selecting actuator for selecting operating modes for said light source.

7. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein said light body has a cover for covering an opening into the cavity of said light body for receiving a source of electrical power therein, wherein the source of electrical power includes an electrical switch on an end thereof that is proximate said cover when the source of electrical power is in the cavity of said light body, wherein:
said cover has an opening through which said electrical switch is actuatable from external to said light body; or
said end cover has a flexible seal covering an opening through which said electrical switch is actuatable from external to said light body; or
said end cover has a flexible seal covering an opening through which said electrical switch is actuatable from external to said light body and providing a seal between said cover and said body housing at the opening into the cavity of said body housing.

8. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein the rearward portion of the light body having a non-circular cross-section defines opposing broad surfaces, said light further having:
a pattern in one or both of the opposing broad surfaces; or
a coating on one or both of the opposing broad surfaces; or
a sheet material on one or both of the opposing broad surfaces; or
one of a pattern, a coating or a sheet material on one of the opposing broad surfaces and another of a pattern, a coating or a sheet material on another of the opposing broad surfaces;
whereby the pattern, coating or sheet material has higher coefficient of friction than does the broad opposing surface when smooth and/or uncovered.

9. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein said light body has a cover for covering an opening into the cavity of said light body for receiving a source of electrical power therein, wherein said light body and said cover have respective complementary features providing a latch for retaining said cover in a closed position adjacent the opening of said light body.

10. The hand holdable light of claim 9 wherein said cover is hinged at one end thereof and has a latch feature at the other end thereof, said latch including: a loop or a clasp on said light body for engaging the latch feature of said cover for the retaining said cover in a closed position adjacent the opening of said light body.

11. The hand holdable light of claim 1 wherein said light body has a cover for covering an opening into the cavity of said light body for receiving a source of electrical power therein, wherein said cover includes a second switch actuator for selectively energizing said light source from the source of electrical power.

12. The hand holdable light of claim 11 wherein the source of electrical power includes an electrical switch for selectively energizing said light source, and wherein said cover includes a switch actuator for actuating the electrical switch of the source of electrical power.

13. The hand holdable light of claim 1 :
wherein the source of electrical power includes a battery assembly having a symmetrical pattern of externally accessible electrical contacts on an end thereof that is proximate the forward end of said light body, and
wherein said light body

Assignees

• Streamlight Inc

Inventors

• Sharrah Raymond L
• Ziegenfuss Peter J
• Boris Thomas D
• Arena Francis D

Classifications

• H01M2220/30

  Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M50/545

  formed by the casing of the cells (cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56) · CPC title

• H01M50/247

  specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title