The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1999
Steven Robert Vetorino, Fort Lupton, CO (US);
James Victor Platt, Lafayette, CO (US);
Douglass Anderson Springer, Aurora, CO (US);
Applied Innovative Technologies, Inc., Aurora, CO (US);
Abstract
A renewable energy flashlight comprises a housing and a barrel located within the housing. A wire coil wraps around the barrel, between the barrel and the housing. A magnet oscillates within the barrel when the flashlight is shaken, generating an alternating current in the coil. Two springs at either end of the barrel cause the magnet to recoil when the magnet strikes the springs. As an alternative, rebound magnets oriented to repel the charging magnet may be installed within the barrel at either end, to cause the magnet to recoil from the ends. An electronics assembly within the housing includes a capacitor for storing charge, a rectifier connected to the capacitor, and means for conducting current flowing in the coil to the rectifier, to charge the capacitor. An LED is connected to the capacitor by means of a switch, and lights up when the switch is switched on.