New 18650/LED Product Idea? The Little Black Desk "Flashlight"!

[ThomasH]

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Hello fellow flashaholics!


I come to you today to ask for a new 18650 battery-powered LED product, The Little Black Desk Lamp.


What I want is an attractive, small, wireless desk lamp. I have attached a Photoshopped image from an advertisement to give a rough idea what I am talking about. But this should be small, "scaled down" from a normal incandescent lamp, like maybe 8 or 9 inches tall with around a 4 inch base.

A nice heavy round base, more of a right cylinder than the attached picture, as that is where the removeable 18650 battery, switch and circuit board go.


Some sort of adjustable neck, either the goose-neck as suggested or something else.


Of course, two brightness levels or an adjustable brightness would be nice, but let's keep it simple.


A nice smooth LED head would be in the reflector, of course.


I say, no built-in charger, nothing complicated. LED head, adjustable position, 18650 battery in the base (remove to charge), On/Off switch.


More than one brightness optional.


I want one by my bed (with no damn cord!), one next to my keyboard on the computer desk at home and one at work.


It is a nice familiar form factor that people love, and they'll soon realize they can pick it up and walk around with it. And when they get "there" they have a nice lamp they can just set down.


I suggested this to Mr. Malkoff, as it seemed like he could just take the "guts" out of one of his flashlights, and use this other form factor. But I understand he has been burned venturing outside his perceived comfort zone, so I am hoping someone else can see the value in the idea.


My most recent idea for this is a rotary switch. All the way to the left and "click" it turns off. Turn to the right and "click" it turns on at the lowest brightness, and get brighter as you continue to turn to the right, up to maximum brightness.


What do you think? I might advise that you use the guts and head out of one of Gene's flashlights and just mount them in this new form!


- Thomas

 

[jeowf]

Could you further explain the need of being able to move it around without a cord?
I can see it being used on a campsite where power is difficult.

 

[ThomasH]

Could you further explain the need of being able to move it around without a cord?

Hi jeowf,


Uh, so you can move it without worrying about a cord? The advantage seems obvious to me, so it's hard to explain if you can't see it.


I have a lamp on a table by the side of my bed, but as it is corded I can't move it without the cord dragging across the table knocking everything on it onto the floor. The nearest wall plug is pretty far way, so the cord is hanging up from the floor across the wall to the table, ugly. I also can't move it far as the cord will pull it up short.


And many a time, at my desk as well bedside, it would be nice to able to just pick up the lamp and move around. "What was THAT? Well, I'll just pick up this lamp and go check!" No need to go find a flashlight, I have one right here. It just looks a bit like a desk lamp.


And when I see the stuff that fell, instead of having to deal with a typical flashlight form-factor, you can just set your little desk lamp down where it will illuminate the scene.


See it yet?


- Thomas

 

[LED Monkey]

Seems kinda nice actually. A warm tint would be good in a light like this. I get the "no cord" thing, cords are ugly:sick2: . Without the need to think about comfort or ergonomics holding a flashlight I would have a larger battery for more run time between charging, 21700/26650? I like the idea of a infinitely adjustable knob, top end lumens would not have to be all that high either.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Good idea. Here is my suggestions:
1) multiple 18650 in parallel for extended runtime and perhaps higher brightness
2) built in charging you can buy charging circuits for dirt cheap with built in USB ports
3) Either buy a circuit for a flashlight or buy a multiple pole switch for more than 1 mode using more than 1 LED
4) You could even add another circuit with a very dim "find me" in the dark mode that would run for months at that output.
5) With multiple 18650s you could also add a power bank circuit board to power other items and charge phones etc.
6) You could even consider a dimmer circuit.
7) Another thing to consider is just going with a power bank circuit and using USB LEDs in the lamp itself you can buy many different USB plug in boards. My computer keyboard and both sides of my monitor and a light on a shelf next to my tv set are all lit up by USB LED powered by a 2x18650 power bank that runs for weeks on end every night without charging. The advantage of power banks is not having to remove batteries the charging circuit is built into it and multiple power banks you can swap one out for another.

 

[Greebe]

There are literally thousands of them on google when you search for "battery powered desk lamp".:thumbsup:

 

[ThomasH]

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There are literally thousands of them on google when you search for "battery powered desk lamp".:thumbsup:

I sorry, but I don't see what I am asking for. Lots of 20 inch tall lamps, lots of complicated goofy-looking lamps, and most of the hits that looked close turned out not to be battery-powered, and certainly not by a nice 18650 or two!


I can interest anyone in making something like this? Or if anyone knows of something that matches my description, please point it out! :thumbsup:


- Thomas

 

[casualObserver]

There are several on Amazon that would meet your specs minus the 18650 battery. I bought four units several years ago with 4x AA (I use NiMH), sit on a desk, clamp to a shelf, have multi level array leds and have USB connection.

You could use these until someone builds the same product with the 18650 battery!

 

[LRJ88]

I read this when it was first posted and i've read it again today.

It seems you want something that's fairly specific and ask if that already exists, 4x9 inches, heavy base, an adjustable neck, several brightness levels, LED in the reflector, all that jazz.

My question to you is, why don't you get one of the plethora of gooseneck flashlights out there that fits all that except for a large reflector and base and simply add a reflector and base to it? This comes across as more of a marketing pitch than you wanting to find something for yourself considering the "I can interest anyone in making something like this? Or if anyone knows of something that matches my description, please point it out!" part, and it's really backwards trying to prod at it like this if it is.