Flashlight and recharging system therefor

Abstract

A guide plate on the head of the flashlight provides an alignment feature which aligns a pair of flashlight charging contacts with a pair of terminals in charging unit for releasably holding the flashlight in its charging receptacle. The flashlight is held within the charging receptacle in a consistent orientation, so that the flashlight switch may be easily found when the flashlight is grasped. The charging receptacle grips the head portion of the flashlight with a pair of spring-loaded jaws. A battery assembly is provided which presents both positive and negative terminals at the forward end of the battery unit. Connections are made from the forward end of the battery to an interconnection module within the flashlight head assembly.

That which is claimed is:  
     
       1. A flashlight comprising: 
       a barrel having a forward end and a rear end adapted to receive at least one battery;  
       a head assembly connected to the forward end of the barrel, said head assembly having an enlarged portion relative to the barrel;  
       a light source within said head assembly;  
       first and second charging contacts on the enlarged portion of said head assembly adapted to contact respective terminals on a charging receptacle; and  
       connecting means in the head assembly for providing an electrical connection between the charging contacts and said battery and for providing an electrical connection between said battery and said light source, the connecting means comprising an insulating module having conductive members selectively plated on surfaces of said insulating module.  
     
     
       2. The flashlight of claim  1  wherein said connecting means comprises a spring and said insulating module comprises spring retaining means for retaining said spring. 
     
     
       3. A flashlight comprising: 
       a barrel having a forward end and a rear end adapted to receive at least one battery;  
       a head assembly connected to the forward end of the barrel, said head assembly having an enlarged portion relative to the barrel;  
       a light source within said head assembly;  
       first and second charging contacts on the enlarged portion of said head assembly adapted to contact respective terminals on a charging receptacle; and  
       connecting means in the head assembly for providing an electrical connection between the charging contacts and said battery and for providing an electrical connection between said battery and said light source, the connecting means including a switch for operating the flashlight, positioned on the enlarged portion of the head assembly.  
     
     
       4. The flashlight of claim  3  in which at least one of the charging contacts is located substantially on an opposite quadrant of the enlarged portion of the head assembly from the switch. 
     
     
       5. A charging unit for charging a rechargeable flashlight that has a head portion with a light source therein and a charging contact on the head portion, the charging unit comprising: 
       head holding means, for releasably holding the head portion of the flashlight having the light source therein, the head holding means including gripping means for gripping the head portion of the flashlight and said gripping means includes a pair of pivotally mounted jaws for releasably holding the head portion of the flashlight;  
       terminal means supplying electrical energy to the charging contact on the head portion of the flashlight, the terminal means being located along the head holding means for mating with the charging contact; and  
       alignment means located along the head holding means for guiding the head portion of the flashlight into a desired peripheral alignment to have the charging contact on the head portion mate in radial alignment with the terminal means of the charging unit.  
     
     
       6. A flashlight comprising: 
       a barrel having a forward end and a rear end adapted to receive at least one battery;  
       a head assembly connected to the forward end of the barrel;  
       a light source within said head assembly;  
       a guiding member extending radially from said head assembly for guiding said head assembly into radial alignment with a charging receptacle;  
       at least one charging contact on said head assembly; and  
       connecting means in the head assembly for providing an electrical connection between said charging contact and said battery and for providing an electrical connection between the battery and the light source, said connecting means comprising an interconnection module in said head assembly having spring retaining means, and spring means having a pair of concentric springs extending rearwardly from said spring retaining means for electrical connection with said battery.  
     
     
       7. A charging unit for charging a rechargeable flashlight that has an enlarged head portion with a light source therein and a pair of charging contacts on the enlarged head portion, the charging unit comprising: 
       head holding means for releasably holding the enlarged head portion of the flashlight; and  
       a pair of charging terminals for supplying electrical energy to the charging contacts on the enlarged head portion of the flashlight, the charging terminals being located along the head holding means in alignment with the charging contacts.  
     
     
       8. The charging unit of claim  7  in which the unit further includes an alignment means to orient the enlarged head portion of the flashlight in a desired orientation for having the charging terminals contact the charging contacts of the flashlight. 
     
     
       9. The charging unit of claim  8  in which the charging terminals are point contacts adapted to mate with point charging contacts on the enlarged head. 
     
     
       10. A flashlight comprising: 
       
         a barrel having a forward end and a rear end, the barrel adapted to receive at least one battery having electrodes;  
       
       
         a head assembly connected to the forward end of the barrel;  
       
       
         a light source within said head assembly; and connecting means in the head assembly for providing an electrical connection between the battery and the light source, said connecting means comprising spring retaining means in the head assembly, and a pair of concentric springs extending rearwardly from said spring retaining means and connecting to the electrodes of the battery for electrical connection with the battery.