LED night light has projection or image feature

• US 10,323,808 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aaron Chien, Hsin-Yi Wang, Te-Ju Chien
• Original Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Tseng-Lu
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Zheng
• Application Number:
  US14/968,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20160097500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 362641, 362642, 362643
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/002 using liquids, e.g. water
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/007 using rotating transparent or colored disks, e.g. gobo wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/02 Combinations of only two kinds of elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/003 by interposition of elements with electrically controlled variable light transmissivity, e.g. liquid crystal elements or electrochromic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/006 by means of optical elements, e.g. films, filters or screens, being rolled up around a roller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/08 by movement of the screens or filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/02 with provision for adjustment F21V17/04 - F21V17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/22 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/29 employing universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/00 : Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air-treatment systems F24F13/078
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 : of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 : Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/142 : Adjusting of projection optics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 : Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

An LED night light for night time or dark area use, such as a plug-in wall outlet night light or direct current (DC) operated night light, includes projection or image features to project or present an image, message, data, logo, or time on a ceiling, walls, floor, or other desired surface, or an optics element surface. The optics means may include an magnify optics-lens, Tube or tube assembly, slide, convex lens, concave lens, openings, cut-outs, film, grating, or holographic element to create an image at a desired location. The night light upgrade model has an adjustable angle, adjustable orientation, of said bigger image position and change image by moving the said night. The said up grade model can adjustable Light function(s) or distance between light source and magnetic optics-means and slide, as well as other adjustable position, location, or orientation features.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) light with projection features, comprising:

at least one LED that serves as a light source for visible light beams;

a projection lens for magnifying and projecting an image or pattern;

at least one image or pattern forming unit selected from the group consisting of a slide, film, anti display unit that creates the image or pattern and that is installed between the at least one LED and the projection lens;

a power source and circuitry for triggering the least one LED to provide a desired light function and effects;

wherein the projection lens is installed on a front portion of an outer housing of the LED light or at a top position of a tube or tube assembly and is held by a cover,

wherein the at least one LED is installed in (a) plastic inner housing parts located inside the outer housing to prevent leakage of light beams emitted by the at least one LED to the at least one image or pattern forming unit, or (b) a plastic base, the tube, or the tube assembly,

wherein the projection lens and image or pattern forming unit are arranged perpendicularly to a traveling path of the light beams emitted by the at least one LED, such that the light beams pass through the image or pattern forming unit and are magnified by the projection lens to project the image or pattern with a predetermined size and brightness onto a ceiling, wall, floor, housing, or surface that is multiple feet away from the LED light,

wherein the LED light is an AC powered light arranged to be connected with an AC outlet by conductive elements including prongs or an AC plug wire, and

wherein at least one of a projection angle and focus of the LED light is changeable by moving or rotating at least one of said outer housing, said inner housing parts, said tube or tube assembly, and a disc that housing the at least one image or pattern forming unit or the projection lens, and

wherein the inner housing parts, the tube, or the tube assembly surround the LED and image forming unit to prevent to prevent leakage of light beams emitted by the at least one LED to the at least one image or pattern forming unit and projection lens.

2. An LED light as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuitry is arranged to provide light functions selected from fade-in and fade-out, automatic color changing, sequential or random on and off, chasing, pair flashing, time delay, time period selection, steady-on, photo or motion sensor responsive, brightness changing, and rotating effects.

3. An LED light as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image or pattern forming unit further includes parts selected from the group consisting of (1) a treated or textured optics lens, or (2) a convex lens, or (3) a diffusion lens, or (4) a reflector, (5) a piece having openings or cut-outs, and (6) a film or slide.

4. An LED night light as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer housing has a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of (1) a sphere, (2) ball, (3) half ball, (4) cylinder, (5) tube, (6) cone and (7) parallelepiped shape;

to enable the inner housing parts, tube, tube assembly, projection lens, or LEDs to be moved and thereby change a position, location, orientation, or size of the projected image or pattern in three dimensions.

5. An LED light as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuitry has parts and accessories selected from the group consisting of a circuit board, integrated circuit, conductive piece, switch, AC jack, solar module, AC plug and wire, AC transformer, sensor, motion sensor, and timer to provide the desired light function and effects.

6. A light emitting diode (LED) light with projection features, comprising:

at least one LED that serves as a light source for visible light beams;

a projection lens for magnifying and projecting an image or pattern;

at least one image or pattern forming unit selected from the group consisting of a slide, film, and display unit and installed in front or on top of the at least one LED to allow passage of light beams emitted from the at least one LED and create the image or pattern;

a power source and circuitry for triggering the least one LED to provide a desired light function and effects;

wherein the projection lens is installed on an outer housing top opening or above at least one plastic tube or plastic tube assembly,

wherein the at least one LED is installed inside plastic parts of the housing, the tube, or the tube assembly that prevent leakage of light beams emitted by the at least one LED as they travel to the projection lens via the at least one image or pattern forming unit,

wherein the projection lens and image or pattern forming unit are arranged perpendicularly to a traveling path of the light beams emitted by the at least one LED, such that the light beams pass through the image or pattern forming unit and are magnified by the projection lens to project the image or pattern with a predetermined size and brightness onto a ceiling, wall, floor, housing, or surface that is multiple feet away from the LED light,

wherein the LED light is a DC powered light arranged to be included or be connected to batteries, an AC-to-DC transformer, or a DC energy storage unit for solar, wind, or chemical power, and

wherein at least one of a projection angle and focus of the LED light is changeable by moving or rotating at least one of said outer housing, said parts, said tube or tube assembly, and a disc that housing the at least one image or pattern forming unit or the projection lens.

7. An LED light as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tube or tube assembly has at least two or more parts that are (1) assembled together to prevent light beams from leaking out, and (2) adapted to accommodate at least one of the slide, film, at least one LED, an extra optics lens or the display unit at a position perpendicular to a light beam traveling direction.

8. An LED light as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one LED is installed on a printed circuit board so that the at least one LED extends into and is surrounded by a wall of the tube or tube assembly.

9. An LED light as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tube or tube assembly has at least two parts to accommodate the slide, film, or display unit within the tube assembly at a position perpendicular to a light beam traveling direction.

10. An LED light as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one LED is installed on a printed circuit board and fitted into a base that extends into and is surrounded by a wall of the tube or tube assembly.