US Patent:
20160245466, Aug 25, 2016
Inventors:
- Wichita KS, US
Stuart L. Meether - Wichita KS, US
Thomas G. Trefz - Wichita KS, US
Mark Elliott - Park City KS, US
Michael D. Brockel - Wichita KS, US
Ricky J. Glazier - Cheney KS, US
Chelor Chen - Zhongchun Town, CN
Yuhua Zhang - Xidian Town, CN
International Classification:
F21L 4/00
F21V 23/00
F21V 21/084
F21V 23/04
F21V 23/02
Abstract:
A battery life extender for a portable lighting device employs a reconfigurable mechanism operable to selectively electrically isolate one or more batteries from a circuit having a parasitic power drain. For example, a lighting device includes a light generating element, at least one battery, a user operated switch configured to control delivery of electrical power from the at least one battery to the light generating element, and a housing assembly supporting the at least one battery and the light generating element. The user operated switch can impart a parasitic power drain. The housing assembly is reconfigurable to: (a) a first configuration in which the user operated switch is electrically connected to the at least one battery, and (b) a second configuration in which the at least one battery is electrically isolated and the at least one battery is retained by the housing assembly.