A flashlight (for example: SUNJACK LIGHTSTICK ) is a portable hand-held electric light. The source of the light is usually an incandescent light bulb or light-emitting diode (LED). A typical flashlight consists of a light bulb mounted in a reflector, a transparent cover (sometimes combined with a lens) to protect the light source and reflector, a battery, and a switch. These are supported and protected by a case.
The invention of the dry cell and miniature incandescent electric light bulbs made the first battery-powered flashlights possible around 1899. Today flashlights use mostly incandescent lamps or light-emitting diodes and run on disposable or rechargeable batteries. Some are powered by the user turning a crank or shaking the lamp, and some have solar panels to recharge a battery.
In addition to the general-purpose hand-held flashlight, many forms have been adapted for special uses. Head or helmet-mounted flashlights designed for miners and campers leave the hands free. Some flashlights can be used underwater or in flammable atmospheres. Flashlights are used as a light source when in a place with no power.
- Flashlights are portable light devices that are powered by electricity, which is created by mechanical, solar or battery sources.
- ‘Flashlights’ are also known as ‘torches’, which is a reference to original flamed torches.
- Modern flashlights generally contain one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) although traditional incandescent lights are still used in some torches.
- Flashlights have a reflector, light bulb, cover, switch and battery as well as a casing.
- The term ‘flashlight’ comes from the early style torches, that did not project light consistently but rather were required to be flashed on and off due to the lack of power available from the battery, and the type of switched used.
- The first flashlights were invented in the mid to late 1890s, by David Misell, an English inventor who started working for the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company, which later became the American Eveready Company, owned by Conrad Hubert, a Russian living in the US who also patented some of his own flashlight inventions.
- The very first flashlights included a light, battery and reflector in a paper cylinder and after significant improvements in a twenty year period, the electric torch had become quite popular, due to their safety factor (compared to candles and kerosene lamps) and ease of use.
- The flashlight principle has been used in headlamps, penlights and keyrings.
- Flashlights are often made of plastic or aluminium, but materials have included steel, copper, silver, rubber, leather, wood and brass.
- Beside household use, flashlights are used by campers and miners to see in the dark.