(HDS Systems, Inc. dba Ra Lights)
HDS Systems pioneered the following LED flashlight features:
The above list provides the year we first implemented and published the feature. To be fair, the seed ideas for some of the features originated from people living all around the world - especially from the caving community. Some ideas were simply borrowed from other industries.
A simple idea is likely to occur to a large number of people in a similar situation. A simple idea for a product or feature tends to have very little initial value. Why? Because it can be a long expensive journey from having an idea to getting it into production. The closer to production it is, the more value it has.
Take using LEDs for a flashlight as an example. Anyone who thinks about the design of a flashlight will immediately understand the value of a rugged, concentrated and efficient light source. When practical LEDs became available, it was obvious to lots of people that LEDs should be used to make a flashlight. That was the simple idea. The difficult part was solving all the problems associated with LEDs in order to make a practical and affordable flashlight.
The difference between a simple idea and a practical implementation is why the Patent Office requires that patents be: a) novel and b) not obvious to one skilled in the art.
HDS Systems has the honor of being the first company to manufacture and market a high brightness LED flashlight - a flashlight that could equal or exceed the light output and duration of a standard 2 D-cell incandescent flashlight. That original flashlight was fully regulated, had multiple brightness levels, automatically stepped-down in brightness to extend dying batteries while warning the user it was time to change the battery and the flashlight was housed in a aerospace aluminum case protected by military Type III hard anodize. The flashlight was powered by a single lithium battery that would drive the high brightness setting for 12 continuous hours at a constant brightness.
HDS Systems tactical LED flashlights Ra Lights RaLights Ra Clicky Executive Tactical Ra-120-C Ra-140-C Ra-120-Cgt Ra-140-Cgt Ra-120-Cn Ra-140-Cn Ra-170-Cn EDC-120 EDC-140 EDC-170 Ra Twisty Ra-100-T Ra-120-T Ra-85-Tr Ra-100-Tr EDC Ultimate EDC Basic HDS Systems Inc. EDC flashlights every day carry or everyday carry police and military LED flashlight LED strobe LED headlamp NovaTac HDS Nova Tac
HDS Systems tactical LED flashlights Ra Lights RaLights Ra Clicky Executive Tactical Ra-120-C Ra-140-C Ra-120-Cgt Ra-140-Cgt Ra-120-Cn Ra-140-Cn Ra-170-Cn EDC-120 EDC-140 EDC-170 Ra Twisty Ra-100-T Ra-120-T Ra-85-Tr Ra-100-Tr EDC Ultimate EDC Basic HDS Systems Inc. EDC flashlights every day carry or everyday carry police and military LED flashlight LED strobe LED headlamp NovaTac HDS Nova Tac