New slider switch - where are they at?

I've had this idea for a long time and I'm surprised no one has implemented it. Nitecore came close on the HC90, but I don't know of any other lights.

This would seem to make most people happy in the UI "war". One hand (finger) operation, either totally variable or 3-5 predefined "clicks" (so you could better estimate runtime), pretty much instant on to turbo and moonlight. No momentary, but since you could slide it so quickly, it almost wouldn't matter.

I guess the problem would be the space required underneath the switch, not being waterproof, and accidental activation. There may be a way around this but I'm not an engineer so don't ask me!

I "stole" a switch from a Dremel and Photoshopped it into the TM16. What do you think?

I like the idea. It would be easier to actuate than a ring around the light. To make it waterproof, just use the same principal as the variable output lights using a ring- put a magnet in the slider button that in turn moves another magnet in the stem of the variable resister inside the sealed body. The only issue would be as you mentioned, the space required inside the light for such a design. To eliminate the possibility of accidental activation, just put in a recessed on-off switch independent of the slide control (the slide control would only be used for varying the brightness) which could also be a momentary switch.

I quite like the idea........well enough to have ordered an xtar d06 the other year(long story short the seller did not send it to me). So i have no hands on experience ,but still would like a light with that UI.

Why use a switch hooked to a magnet? We could go straight skin capacitance!

double tap here for strobe, swipe here for red auxillary, adjust main output by swiping here...

more_vampires said:

Why use a switch hooked to a magnet? We could go straight skin capacitance!

double tap here for strobe, swipe here for red auxillary, adjust main output by swiping here...

Click to expand...

Novel idea but.... I'm thinking larger pcb then practical, very easy to have it mode switch accidentally/drop of water, power consumption issues and general cost compared to standard tech....at this time.

more_vampires said:

Why use a switch hooked to a magnet? We could go straight skin capacitance!

double tap here for strobe, swipe here for red auxillary, adjust main output by swiping here...

Click to expand...

Well, capacitive touch screens don't like gloved fingers very well, for one reason. Durability would be another reason. If glass is used for the capacitive interface, like it is on most displays/controls of that type, that would be the weak point. Drop the light or bang it on something right where that control is and you may no longer have a working light.

Omitted, potential thread de-railer.

I hope they work better than the slide switches from when I was a kid. Back in those days, flashlights were very inexpensive or "free" with the purchase of batteries, and you'd be lucky if the switch outlasted the batteries they came with. (I'm sure someone made better lights, but my parents couldn't get past the "free" - probably because they knew we'd just leave them in the grass anyway).

ven said:

I quite like the idea........well enough to have ordered an xtar d06 the other year(long story short the seller did not send it to me). So i have no hands on experience ,but still would like a light with that UI.

Click to expand...

So there is one!! Interesting. And it's a diving light, so I guess we don't have to worry about waterproofness!

FRITZHID said:

Novel idea but.... I'm thinking larger pcb then practical, very easy to have it mode switch accidentally/drop of water, power consumption issues and general cost compared to standard tech....at this time.

Click to expand...

Imalent is already doing it!

http://www.imalent.com/flashlight/products/E-series/

Lol, smartphone meets flashlight. There's an app to remote this thing, plus some come with a separate remote! Remote controlled flashlight!

more_vampires said:

Imalent is already doing it!

http://www.imalent.com/flashlight/products/E-series/

Lol, smartphone meets flashlight. There's an app to remote this thing, plus some come with a separate remote! Remote controlled flashlight!

Click to expand...

Yeah, I still think I'll stick with my clickys. More complicated the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the pipes.

FRITZHID said:

Yeah, I still think I'll stick with my clickys. More complicated the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the pipes.

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Agreed. Or break the pipes.

I agree, no touch screens for me. That's ridiculous.

Still wanting that basic slider in the OP though! Nothing fancy.

FRITZHID said:

Novel idea but.... I'm thinking larger pcb then practical, very easy to have it mode switch accidentally/drop of water, power consumption issues and general cost compared to standard tech....at this time.

Click to expand...

Inova Microlight STS had a capacitive (sp) swipe action on their keychain light. It was pretty ordinary really, swipe one way to turn it on, swipe the other to turn it off. Power consumption was very low, PCB (if there even was one) was tiny so could be put in a light, but in practice, the light stubbornly refused to turn on sometimes, went to the wrong mode all the time, and was heavily affected by water and moisture. I still have mine, but a 10lm light which was bulkier to carry, more prone to accidental activation, was trouble to use and had less modes than the similarly priced freedom micros, it just wasn't worth using. On the plus side, my 4 y.o loves playing with it.

Veleno Designs recently announced a new light, called the Avant Ti, that has a slider switch.

troutpool said:

Veleno Designs recently announced a new light, called the Avant Ti, that has a slider switch.

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WOW that's a good looking light! Can't wait to see what it costs and how it performs.