Patents by Inventor Rainer Opolka

Rainer Opolka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9599317
    Abstract: A flashlight has a casing extending along an axis, a light source capable of emitting a cone of light, and a lamp head with a lens attachment that can be displaced axially relative to the light source in order to focus the emitted cone of light. A cylindrical connecting piece connected positively to the lamp head is axially movable on the casing for fixing the lamp head in a selectable longitudinal axial position on the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: ZWEIBRUEDER OPTOELECTRONICS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 9410667
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having a rotary switch for switching different brightness levels and/or luminous colors, which rotary switch has a battery cartridge arranged rotatably in a flashlight housing and having spring-mounted electrical contacts arranged at the end, which electrical contacts are each connected to an electrical contact face or an electrical contact zone of a contact plate. In order to provide a switchover option for a flashlight with different switching steps that has a simple design, is light and can be operated reliably, the invention proposes that the battery cartridge is held securely in the flashlight housing by a fixing sleeve and that the battery cartridge is rotated in the flashlight housing by a rotary button that passes longitudinally axially through the fixing sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: ZWEIBRUEDER OPTOELECTRONICS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 9086195
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having a casing, a light source and a lamp head with a lens attachment that can be displaced longitudinally axially relative to the light source in order to focus the emitted cone of light. The object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight that, on the one hand, enables the reflector to be displaced smoothly relative to the light source and, on the other hand, prevents involuntary shifting of the focusing that has been set. According to the invention, the flashlight has a clamping device for fixing the lamp head in a selectable longitudinal axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: ZWEIBRUEDER OPTOELECTRONICS GmbH&Co.KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Publication number: 20150192276
    Abstract: A flashlight has a casing extending along an axis, a light source capable of emitting a cone of light, and a lamp head with a lens attachment that can be displaced axially relative to the light source in order to focus the emitted cone of light. A cylindrical connecting piece connected positively to the lamp head is axially movable on the casing for fixing the lamp head in a selectable longitudinal axial position on the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventor: Rainer OPOLKA
  • Patent number: 9057500
    Abstract: A flashlight has a casing extending along an axis, formed with a screwthread, and holding a battery having two poles. A light-emitting diode has a light-emitting head and a first and second integral lead wires. A holder is formed with first and second separate throughgoing holes, a seat into which the holes open and in which the diode head is fitted with the first and second wires extending outward through the respective first and second holes out of contact with each other, a reflector adjacent the seat, and a screwthread. The holder is fitted to the casing with the screwthread of the holder operatively engaged with the screwthread of the casing and the first wire pressed directly against one of the poles of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ZWEIBRUEDER OPTOELECTRONICS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8974075
    Abstract: A flashlight has a casing having a front end, a light source axially secured in the housing inward of the front end, and a two-part connecting sleeve forward of the light source and having a rear part secured in the housing and a front part. Interengaging formations couple the parts together for only limited axial movement relative to each other, but lock them rotationally and prevent axial separation beyond a predetermined limit. A lens is mounted in the front part. A head sleeve secured to the front part extends axially rearward over the front end of the casing so that relative axial movement of the front and rear parts axially shifts the lens relative to the source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8833960
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having a housing, a battery cartridge which is mounted therein and has a pressure switch at the end, and an end cap having a pushbutton which is operatively connected to the pressure switch. In order to create a watertight and simultaneously robust flashlight, it is proposed according to the invention that a sealing element be arranged between the pushbutton and the pressure switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8833963
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight with a cylindrical housing and a battery cartridge housed therein so that at least one battery can be removably retained. In order to provide a flashlight in which a faulty slide switch can be fitted or replaced simply and without any extra cost, according to the invention a slide switch is proposed with a slide mounted movably on the housing and a switch lever arranged on the battery cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8770783
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having an auxiliary optical system that is rotation symmetrical to an optical axis, and that has an outer reflector part, an inner converging lens part, and a rear surface having a blind bore, and having a light-emitting diode (LED) arranged on a disk-shaped holder. In order to provide a flashlight having an auxiliary optical system, in which the emission characteristic can be set between a so-called moon setting and a focus setting, wherein the operability of the flashlight is to be as simple as possible and the desired setting can be found rapidly and reliably, according to the invention, the auxiliary optical system is displaceable relative to the LED delimited by two stops in such a manner that a substantially homogeneous light cone is generated in the case of contact of the auxiliary optical system on the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Publication number: 20140168959
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having a casing, a light source and a lamp head with a lens attachment that can be displaced longitudinally axially relative to the light source in order to focus the emitted cone of light. The object of the present invention is to provide a flashlight that, on the one hand, enables the reflector to be displaced smoothly relative to the light source and, on the other hand, prevents involuntary shifting of the focusing that has been set. According to the invention, the flashlight has a clamping device for fixing the lamp head in a selectable longitudinal axial position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8573796
    Abstract: A flashlight has a casing extending along an axis and having axially opposite front and rear ends, a collar fittable on the front end, a support disk engaged and gripped axially between the collar and the front end, a light source on a front face of the disk, thermally conductive regions on the disk, and a lamp head secured to the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8545044
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight with a flashlight casing and a push switch, latching switch or rotary switch contained in an end cap having a switch housing in which a first and a second contact engage. According to the invention, the first contact is a leaf spring engaging in direct electrical connection directly against the electrically conductive flashlight casing or directly against the electrically conductive end cap that is also detachably connected to the flashlight casing, the second contact being a bent leaf spring outside the switch housing directly connected to a power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Publication number: 20130147390
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having a rotary switch for switching different brightness levels and/or luminous colors, which rotary switch has a battery cartridge arranged rotatably in a flashlight housing and having spring-mounted electrical contacts arranged at the end, which electrical contacts are each connected to an electrical contact face or an electrical contact zone of a contact plate. In order to provide a switchover option for a flashlight with different switching steps that has a simple design, is light and can be operated reliably, the invention proposes that the battery cartridge is held securely in the flashlight housing by a fixing sleeve and that the battery cartridge is rotated in the flashlight housing by a rotary button that passes longitudinally axially through the fixing sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: 8444290
    Abstract: A flashlight has a casing extending along an axis and adapted to hold an electric power supply, a light source fixed at a front end of the casing and electrically energizable to emit an axially forwardly directed light beam, an annular head fitted to the casing and axially shiftable thereon. Stops engaged between the head and the casing limit axial travel of the head relative to the casing. A lens is fixed in the head so that the lens and head can be shifted to focus the light beam. Thus the lamp head is captively attached to the casing. This creates an extremely compact structure that can be assembled quickly, thereby allowing manufacturing costs to be reduced. In addition, damaged components can be replaced quickly and easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Publication number: 20130120978
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight with a cylindrical battery housing at the end of which an electrically conductive contact surface is formed, an end cap, and a contact spring with contact points which connects a pole of a battery mounted in the battery housing to the contact surface of the battery housing. In order to reduce contact points and also enable secure and stable electrical contact, according to the invention it is provided that the contact points are arranged at opposite ends of the contact spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Publication number: 20130107504
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flashlight having a housing, a battery cartridge which is mounted therein and has a pressure switch at the end, and an end cap having a pushbutton which is operatively connected to the pressure switch. In order to create a watertight and simultaneously robust flashlight, it is proposed according to the invention that a sealing element be arranged between the pushbutton and the pressure switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: D701339
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: D701340
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: D704368
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka
  • Patent number: D721842
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Zweibrueder Optoelectronics GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Opolka