Portable lighting devices

1. A multi-mode flashlight, comprising:

a housing including a source of power;

a light source located at a forward end of the housing, the light source being configured so that it can operate in a plurality of modes of operation that vary light emitted from said light source in a chosen direction; and

a tail cap located at the tail end of the housing, the tail cap including a switch and at least to icons, wherein each icon is associated with a single mode of operation of the light source from the plurality of modes of operation;

wherein the mode of operation is selected by orienting the housing so that the icon associated with the desired mode of operation is positioned in a predetermined manner with respect to a point of reference located apart from the multi-mode flashlight and the switch is depressed to turn the flashlight on and the switch is depressed for at least a predetermined amount of time;

wherein a change between two modes of operation of the light source requires the housing to be orientated differently with respect to the point of reference; and

wherein the change between two modes of operation of the light source cannot be actuated through movement of a component of the multi-mode flashlight apart from movement of the entire multi-mode flashlight and depression of the switch.

2. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 1 , wherein the modes of operation and the icons on the tail cap include at least two modes of dim, strobe, nite light, signal and SOS modes.

3. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined manner is for the icon associated with the desired mode to be positioned at 12 o'clock.

4. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 1 , wherein the mode may be adjusted by rotating the housing.

5. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 1 , wherein the switch includes a bump located near one of the icons to aid a user in determining which icon is positioned in the predetermined manner.

6. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 5 , further comprising a rechargeable battery pack within the housing.

7. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 5 , wherein the housing is a cylindrical barrel, and the light source and the tail cap are located at either end of the barrel.

8. A multi-mode flashlight, comprising:

a flashlight barrel configured to hold a source of power within the barrel;

a light source configured at a head end of the barrel;

a tail cap configured at a tail end of the barrel, the tail cap including a switch configured to be activated by a user;

at least two icons visible on the multi-mode flashlight, said at least two icons being configured so that any given icon is orientated such that it can be positioned in a predetermined manner differently from each other icon with respect to a point of reference located apart from the multi-mode flashlight; and

electronics for selecting from a plurality of modes of operation of the light source dependent upon which of the at least two icons is positioned in a predetermined manner with respect to the point of reference when the switch is activated by the user for longer than a predetermined amount of time to turn the multi-mode flashlight on;

wherein a change between two modes of operation of the light source requires the housing to be orientated differently with respect to the point of reference and the change cannot be actuated through movement of a component of the multi-mode flashlight apart from movement of the entire multi-mode flashlight and depression of the switch.

9. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 8 , wherein the at least two icons are proximate the switch.

10. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 8 , wherein the at least two icons are fixedly configured on the tail cap.

11. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined manner is for the icon associated with the desired mode to be positioned at 12 o'clock.

12. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 8 , wherein the mode may be adjusted by rotating the housing.

13. The multi-mode flashlight of claim 8 , wherein the switch includes a bump located near one of the icons to aid a user in determining which icon is positioned in the predetermined manner.