US2830280A - Connector receptacle for portable electric lamps - Google Patents

Description

April 8,1958 H. M. WEBBER 2,830,280

CONNECTOR RECEPTACLE FOR PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMPS Filed May 31, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent CONNECTOR RECEPTACLE FOR PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMPS Application May 31, 1955, Serial No. 512,233 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-491) This invention relates to a portable electric lamp or flashlight containing storage batteries requiring rechargingfrom an'external source of power, and particularly to an improved receptacle carried by the lamp casing for use in making the recharging circuit connections.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel receptacle of the class described which is particularly adapted for a flashlight or other portable lamp subject to rough handling, being unusually compact, durable and reliable in insuring good charging circuit connections.

The invention also includes certain novel features of construction which will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claim.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example and not for the purpose of limitation, a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a part side elevational view and part sectional view showing one of my improved receptacles mounted within the casing of a flashlight containing rechargeable batteries;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing a suitable electric charging circuit cord and terminal connectors adapted to coact with my improved receptacle in supplying charging current to the batteries contained in the flashlight;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view showing an end portion of the flashlight casing containing my improved receptacle;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the receptacle and flashlight casing;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing details of one of the receptacle sockets and connector separate from the battery casing, the section being taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view showing details of one of the collars which project to the exterior of the casing.

Fig. 1 shows my improved receptacle mounted within a flashlight having a casing indicated generally by thenumeral 7, one end of which carries aremovable closure 8 allowing access to the lamp bulb, reflector and battery. The other end of the casing is closed by an integral end wall 9 formed with only small openings to receiveprongs 10 and 10a constituting the charging circuit connectors shown in Fig. 2. The prongs project from theinsulated terminal 11 of a circuit cord adapted to be supplied with direct current of suitable voltage. The flashlight is also provided with a manuallyoperable switch 7a of conventional type, astorage battery 12, and an electric bulb, lens and reflector confined by theclosure 8. Since these internal elements of the flashlight, per se, form no part of the present invention they are not shown in the draw ing. There is also a charging circuit which includes anelectric conductor 13 extending to the positive terminal of the battery. Thecasing 7 may be constructed from metal and electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery by acoiled spring 12a (Fig. 1).

My improved receptacle has abody 15 of dielectric 2 material, e. g., hard rubber or suitable plastic composition. As shown, this body is of cylindrical shape and is formed withcylindrical recesses 16 and 17 respectively of different diameters extending to one face only of the body. Therecess 16 contains acontact member 18 of tubular form which is electrically connected to an end of theconductor 13 by suitable means such as solder. Aseparate collar 19 of dielectric material confines thecontact member 18 in therecess 16 and is formed with anannular flange 20 fitting in an annular enlargement of therecess 16. Thecollar 19 projects to the exterior of the wall 9 through acircular opening 21 formed therein and has a central opening 19a to receive theprong 10. Thus the wall 9 overlies and confines theflange 20 of thecollar 19 within the casing.

The second and smaller recess 17 in thebody 15 con- "tains acontact member 22 and the latter is formed with projecting fingers 23 (Figs. 4 and 5) which make electrical contact with the inner surface of the casing wall 9. Acollar 24 confines thecontact member 22 andfingers 23 within the casing wall 9. Thiscollar 24 is formed with aflange 25 projecting at opposite sides in an annular enlargement of the recess 17. As best shown in Fig. 6, agroove 25a extends diametrically across the inner portion of thecollar 24 to receive thefingers 23 and allow them to project for contact with the wall 9. Thecollar 24 projects to the exterior of the casing wall 9 through acircular opening 26 formed in the latter and acentral opening 24a is formed in thecollar 24 to receive the smaller terminal prong 10a of the charging circuit. A pair of rivets 27 are employed to rigidly secure my improved receptacle within thecasing 7. These rivets are extended throughopenings 27a (Fig. 3) in thebody 15 and easing wall 9 and have heads engaging the outer surface of the wall and the inner surf-ace of thebody 15. My improved receptacle is easy to assemble and fasten securely within the closed end of thecasing 7. The installation is made with theclosure cap 8 removed and before the electric bulb, reflector andbatteries 12 are assembled in the casing. After the casing has been formed with the closed end wall 9, thecircular openings 21 and 26 and holes for the rivets 27 are punched in this end wall. Thebody 15 is assembled with thecontact members 18 and 22,collars 19 and 24 andconductor 13, and the latter is connected to thecontact member 18, leaving thespring fingers 23 projecting, as indicated in Fig. 5. This assembly is then inserted through the open end of thecasing 7 and thecollars 19 and 24 are placed in theopenings 21 and 26 respectively. Thereupon, the rivets 27 are inserted and by the use of a suitable die extending in contact with the inner side of thebody 15 the heads of the rivets are upset to securely and rigidly fasten the receptacle within the casing. Thereafter thebatteries 12 and other elements of the flashlight are assembled and connected in circuit in the usual or suitable manner.

It will be evident that the charging circuit within the flashlight includes thecontact 18 andconductor 13 extending to the positive battery terminal and that thecontact member 22 is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery by thefingers 23,casing 7 andspring 12a, thefingers 23 being held under compression inrecesses 23a in thebody 15 by the overlying casing wall 9.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the end wall 9 of theeasing 7 has a projectingcorrugated periphery 28 and a reentrant flatcentral portion 29 from which thecollars 19 and 24 project to a lesser extent than the corrugated periphery. Thus the periphery of the wall 9 protects the receptacle collars against breakage.

When thebattery 12 requires recharging, the charging circuit is merely connected by means of theterminal 11 having theprongs 10, 19a, by inserting the latter in the recesses containing themembers 18 and 22. Correct polarity is insured by providing a prong and socket for the positive side of the circuit of a diiferent size from the corresponding connectors for the negative side. It will be evident that the receptacle occupies a minimum of space within the flashlight casing and is elfectively protected against damage from rough handling.

I claim:

In a portable lamp having a casing, a receptacle for an external charging circuit connector comprising, a body of dielectric material overlying the inner surface of said casing and formed with a pair of recesses of respectively different Widths, contact members contained in said recesses, a spring finger projecting laterally from one of said contact members, said casing being formed with open ings in registry with said recesses, collars of dielectric material confining said contact members in the respective recesses and projecting to the exterior of said casing through said openings therein, one of said collars being 4 formed with a slot to receive and allow said finger to pro.- ject laterally from said collar for contact with the inner surface of the casing, and fastening means engaging said casing and body for rigidly securing said body in place in the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,961 Thomas Mar. 22, 1910 1,506,302 Hopkins Aug. 26, 1924 1,506,303 Hopkins Aug. 26, 192 r 1,964,201 Harsted June 26, 1934 2,205,878 Eby June 25, 1940 2,302,248 Olson Nov. 17, 1942 2,538,497 Bass Jan. 16, 1951 2,628,339 Werner Feb. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 809,676 Germany Aug. 2, 1951

Images