Adjustable Focus Flashlight with Elastic Reflective Light-Gathering Bowl

The problem

Many portable flashlights offer a way to change the beam pattern, but most rely on sliding a rigid lens forward and backward over a fixed parabolic reflector. That approach requires precise alignment of the lens track, adds length to the head when fully extended, and limits how smoothly the transition between flood and spot occurs. Sliding mechanisms also let dust and moisture enter the optical chamber along the travel path. A different method uses multiple LEDs switched on and off, which changes brightness distribution but not the actual reflector geometry. Buyers looking for a compact unit with continuous, mechanical beam shaping need a reflector that can change its own profile without adding external sliding tubes or complex optics.

The solution

This flashlight replaces the rigid reflector with an elastically deformable light-gathering bowl (9) made of elastic reflective cloth. The rim of the bowl is clamped by a lamp shade (1) threaded onto the top of an upper lamp cylinder (7). A lamp stand (4) holds a lamp bead (5) at the center of the bowl’s base.

1. A lead screw (10) is fixed vertically at the center of the lamp stand’s bottom surface. It passes downward through a partition plate (73) and the top surface of a lower lamp cylinder (8), threading into a focusing disc (11).
2. The focusing disc sits in a cavity between the partition plate and the lower cylinder’s top surface. Its edge is exposed through a long side hole (71) in the upper cylinder wall, allowing the user to turn it by hand.
3. Protrusions (41) on the lamp stand ride inside sliding grooves (72) cut along the inner wall of the upper cylinder. These keep the lamp stand from rotating while letting it move vertically.
4. Turning the focusing disc drives the lead screw up or down. This pulls the lamp stand away from the clamped rim or pushes it closer, stretching or relaxing the elastic cloth bowl and continuously altering its curvature.
5. A lithium battery (3) inside the lower cylinder powers the lamp bead through a power switch (6) on a rear cover (2). Wires run through a hollow axial bore in the lead screw.

Who it is for

• Outdoor gear brands seeking a mechanically adjustable flashlight that avoids sliding-lens bulk for camping and hiking product lines.
• Amazon private-label sellers in the portable lighting category looking for a distinct beam-shaping feature to differentiate listings from standard zoom flashlights.
• Wholesalers supplying maintenance crews who need a single tool that shifts from a wide area wash to a focused inspection beam without carrying two separate lights.
• Promotional product distributors sourcing branded rechargeable lights where the visible side dial offers a tactile, demonstrable feature for trade-show giveaways.

How it works

The main parts

Operating steps

1. Turn on the lamp using the power switch on the rear cover.
2. Reach the focusing disc through the inwardly concave arc-shaped inclined plane around the long side hole on the upper cylinder. The grid pattern on the disc’s circumference prevents slipping.
3. Rotate the disc. The circular convex ridges on the disc ride in the circular guide grooves on the partition plate and lower cylinder top surface, keeping the disc turning in place.
4. The lead screw moves the lamp stand vertically. Protrusions in the sliding grooves prevent the stand from spinning.
5. The elastic bowl stretches or relaxes, changing its curvature. The beam narrows into a spot or widens into a flood accordingly.

Applications

Camping and trail hiking

Hikers need a wide beam for setting up camp and a narrow one for spotting trail markers at a distance. Turning the side dial reshapes the reflector instantly, removing the need to carry two separate lights or fumble with a sliding head in the dark.

Maintenance and repair work

Technicians inspecting equipment use a tight spot to look inside enclosures and a flood to light up a workbench. The threaded body allows quick disassembly if the unit needs servicing after dropping on a job site.

Power outages and emergency kits

Households store flashlights for unexpected blackouts. The lithium battery provides cordless operation, and the continuous beam adjustment lets users set exactly the spread needed for a hallway or a single room.

Night photography and videography

Creators sometimes need a small, adjustable continuous light to fill shadows. Changing the reflector curvature alters the spill without adding diffusion gels, giving a fast way to control light fall-off on location.

Where it is less suitable

• Tactical or law-enforcement duty lights - these typically require strike bezels, momentary tail switches and rigid optics built to withstand impact, rather than an elastic cloth reflector.
• Underwater diving torches - the side slot for the focusing disc and the threaded joints are not described as sealed for submersion pressure.
• Fixed architectural lighting - this is a handheld portable unit powered by an internal battery, not designed for permanent wiring or mains voltage.