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Flashlight

Glow in the dark LED
  (+2)
(+2)
  [vote for,
against]

You can get ones made of glow-in-the-dark plastic, but the glow goes after an hour or so out of the light.

My idea combines a very low frequency (0.3 ~ 0.1HZ) IC flashing low wattage LED where the plastic cap is made of glow in the dark plastic. That should produce an interest effect and a persistent glow, and yet not drain battery powered devices too quickly.

The idea is particularly useful on things you need to find in the dark: flashlights, key chains, smoke hoods, buttons, etc.

The system is simple, small, cheap, uses proven technology and requires no clever circuitry or re-engineering to adapt existing products.

FloridaManatee, Jun 03 2004

UV LED http://members.misty.com/don/ledbl.html
[Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]

[link]






       I voted for, but I have to wonder what it would be like staying in room with a bunch of this stuff.
phoenix, Jun 03 2004
  

       Make children's toys and women's shoes with this feature and there will be a lot fewer nighttime injuries in the world.
Worldgineer, Jun 03 2004
  

       Hey guys, good to see ya.
FloridaManatee, Jun 03 2004
  

       (waves)
(admires trailing effect of glow-in-the-dark LED ring)
Worldgineer, Jun 03 2004
  

       My question is what is it in the glow-in-the-dark plastic that makes it glow? I know that phosphorescent items take the UV radiation and release visible variation. If glow-in-the-dark does the same thing, then the LED would not put out enough UV radiation to light up the GITD item.
GenYus, Jun 03 2004
  

       Even if that's true (I have no idea), they make LEDs that have UV output.
Worldgineer, Jun 03 2004
  

       I have two of those UV LEDs. They're marketed as keychain money detectors.
FloridaManatee, Jun 03 2004
  

       I put a glow in the dark keychain under my shortwave UV lamp and instead of the eerie green glow I got an eerie orange glow.   

       Nice idea, it should work. +
sartep, Jun 03 2004
  

       This type of device is well-known in the flashlight community, with the omission of the GITD phosphor. You simply run an LED at an extremely low current and it produces a very small amount of light, extremely efficiently.
notexactly, Mar 30 2017
  

       I like to imagine the flashlight community has their meetings in a very dark room.
Worldgineer, May 04 2017
  

       Just as long as there's space for the elephant...
8th of 7, May 04 2017
  
      
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