An electric torch light is an essential tool to man, and it can be found in almost every household and workplace in this planet. This article tries to give a basic overview of the structure of an all important electric torch light.
A basic Electric Torch Light generally consists of several components:
Bulb – The main component that gives the light. The two most common types of bulb are Incandescent and Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs. For most torch lights, the bulb is of incandescent type, where a tungsten filament is enclosed within a glass envelope filled with inert gases like halogen or xenon. Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are made of semiconductor substrates coated with phosphors, and are used because of their lower power consumption and very long lifespan.
Reflector – A conical shaped piece of plastic or aluminum which is placed over the bulb in the torch light. The reflector is normally coated with a highly reflective coating, and the purpose of it is to direct the surrounding light emitted by the bulb forward. Depending on the texture of the coating, the light beam quality may differ from a high intensity beam to a wide area type of light.
Lens – The optics placed in front of the bulb. The lens, which can be made from clear plastics or glass, is used mainly to protect the reflector and the bulb, and yet allow light to pass through. Glass are less susceptible to scratches, thus are preferred over the plastic counterpart.
Switch Mechanism – The control component of the torch light. A switch allows the user to turn on the torch light only when necessary, thus conserving electric energy. Some torch lights uses complex electronic circuitry within the switch, and allow special functions such as dimming and strobing to be achieved.
Battery – Power source for the Electric Torch Light. The batteries required for the torch light depends on the bulb being used, and they come in various sizes, from AAA to D sized. Alkaline batteries are still widely used, but Lithium ones are picking up due to their highest capacity and smaller size.
Body – Normally made of aluminum or durable plastics, the torch light body is used to hold all the other components in place. Several shape of the body is available in the market, and the most common ones are those in a “tube” form, which allows user to hold and operate the torch with just one hand.
With advancing technologies, the electric Torch Light is slowly evolving from a simple handheld equipment into a complex piece of art. To know more, look out for my future articles on torch lights!
