Patent landscapes › Office, school & tools
Is a flashlight patented?
Short answer: specific designs of a flashlight have been patented many times, but "a flashlight" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.
What our index shows
- 2,749 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “flashlight” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
- Among the 848 best keyword matches we examined, 117 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2000.
- Most frequent assignees in those matches: STREAMLIGHT INC (25), SUREFIRE LLC (16), ARMAMENT SYSTEMS & PROCEDURES (15), EVEREADY BATTERY INC (13).
- Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): F21L (651), F21V (607), F21Y (385), H05B (63).
Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.
14 real patent publications related to a flashlight
- Light source switching apparatus for flashlight US-11859780-B1 2024 · LI WENJIE
Disclosed is a light source switching apparatus for a flashlight, which includes a floodlight source and a spotlight source, a lamp strip plate serves as the floodlight source, and a main lamp plate serves as the spotlight source,…
View on Google Patents - Dual-light flashlight with pivoting beam housing US-10119663-B2 2018 · BAYCO PRODUCTS INC
A battery operated illumination device having a pivoting head, with first and second independently controlled light sources. In a normal use orientation a spot light beam from a first light source is directed along a forward axis …
View on Google Patents - Switch for battery flashlight to change modes US-9599327-B2 2017 · 5 11 INC
A multi-mode portable lighting assembly, such as a flashlight, is disclosed. The portable lighting assembly may include a plurality of lighting elements controllable by a plurality of switches. A first switch may be disposed on an…
View on Google Patents - Flashlight with an adjustable light beam reflector US-9644819-B1 2017 · MARESH JOSEPH D
A flashlight may include a housing supporting a light source, a lens, a parabolic reflector and an energy source operatively connected to the light source. An adjustable light beam reflector may be mounted on the housing to inters…
View on Google Patents - Flashlight insert for an oil-type lighter US-9371971-B2 2016 · AYRES JOHN ALFRED
This invention is a removable flashlight insert for fitting into an oil-type cigarette lighter outer case. The flashlight insert contains an LED lamp module with a movable switch element and a battery module contained within a top…
View on Google Patents - Lighting device with adjustable light beam, particularly for a flashlight US-8246210-B2 2012 · ANGELINI MARCO
An adjustable light beam lighting device, particularly for a flashlight, has in succession along an axis a light source, a collimator collimating the light into a collimated beam, and a first optical element and a second optical e…
View on Google Patents - LED flashlight with mechanical switch operable to adjust light brightness US-2009251893-A1 2009 · SHIAO WEN-CHIN
An LED flashlight includes a conductive lamp-shielding barrel, a substrate, a conductive battery housing, a circuit board, and at least two conductive contact bars. When the lamp-shielding barrel is rotated relative to the battery…
View on Google Patents - Battery operated appliance, flashlight and switching systems US-RE40125-E 2008 · SUREFIRE LLC
An electric appliance includes a first electric power supply of first batteries arranged in a first pattern, and alternatively a different second electric power supply of second batteries arranged in a second pattern. An electrica…
View on Google Patents - Multi-beam flashlight US-7347581-B2 2008 · VECTOR PROD INC
A flashlight is provided. The flashlight includes a housing having a first end and a second end. A first light source is disposed at the first end of the housing. A second light source is disposed at the second end of the housing.…
View on Google Patents - Variable light beam lighting device, in particular for a flashlight WO-2006072885-A8 2007 · FRAEN CORP SRL
A variable light beam lighting device (1), useable in particular in a flashlight, presenting a casing (2) a light source (3), in particular a LED, a first and a second optical element (11, 12) for conveying the light emitted by th…
View on Google Patents - Light emitting diode 9-volt battery snap flashlight US-6511202-B1 2003
A high-low light-emitting diode glow-in-the-dark flashlight. The flashlight includes an end cap assembly that snaps onto the top of a 9-volt battery. The battery functions as both a power source and a handle. The end cap assembly …
View on Google Patents - Lighting device convertible between reading light and flashlight configurations and having separate light actuating switches US-6361184-B1 2002 · LUMATEC IND INC
A lighting device convertible between reading light and flashlight configurations has separate off/on light actuating switches. The lighting device includes a case, an elongated arm, hinge, light cap, light element, batteries, fir…
View on Google Patents - Multiple beam flashlight US-6158874-A 2000
The invention is a multi-beam flashlight device with a high intensity lamp in a rotatable reflector housing at one end of the device, and a low intensity lamp positioned in the reflector housing to generate a low intensity light b…
View on Google Patents - Peripherally sealed card-like flashlight device with protection against accidental switch actuation US-6109762-A 2000 · LUMATEC IND INC
A card-like flashlight device includes an inner light generating module having a housing, battery, lamp and switch member, and an outer protective cover. The housing has upper and lower surfaces and defines a central opening throu…
View on Google Patents
What this means for your idea
Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a flashlight been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Tools and office products differ in grips, adjustment mechanisms, and how blades or bits are held and changed.
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Guides that help with this
First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.