Costume jewelry with light-emitting diode

• US 3,866,035 A
• Filed: 10/01/1973
• Issued: 02/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JM Huber Corporation
• Original Assignee: Curry E. Richey Jr
• Inventors: Richey, Curry E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matthews, Samuel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Connor, E. M.
• Application Number:
  US05/402,017
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 240/6.4W,10.65,10.66,2S,6.43
• US Class Current: 362/104
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/0015 Illuminated or sound-producing jewellery

Abstract

An item of costume jewelry comprises a transparent encapsulation in which is housed a light-emitting diode along with associated electronic circuitry. The power supply is housed in a battery pack which serves as the clasp for the item of jewelry.

Claims

1. In combination, an article of jewelry adapted to be attached to the clothing of a wearer, said article comprising an insulated printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon, said components when energized forming an oscillator circuit, said oscillator circuit including a lightemitting diode;

light transmitting means enclosing said printed circuit board and said electric circuit, at least said illuminable device being visible therethrough when said device is illuminated;

a housing for a two-terminal battery, and mating connectors on said housing and said article for mechanically interconnecting said article and said housing, said article and said housing in combination with said mating connectors providing a clasp for securing said article of jewelry to said clothing, said mating connectors also electrically connecting said battery to said circuit for energizing said circuit.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said mating connectors comprise first and second pins electrically connected to said oscillator circuit, said pins projecting from said article, and first and second mating sockets on said housing.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing for said battery is provided with a cavity open at one end for containing said battery;

a closure for said opening, said closure carrying a movable switch for connecting and disconnecting the terminals of said battery and said sockets.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said cavity is cylindrical.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing is of one-piece molded plastic having first and second adjacent parallel cylindrical cavities therein for containing first and second cylindrically shaped batteries, the bottom ends of said cavities being open;

means for closing said open ends of said cavities, said means including a disc shaped member rotatably mounted on an axis intermediate said cavities, said member carrying a metallic conductor strip adapted to contact the terminals of said batteries when in one position and to disconnect said terminals when rotated to a second position.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein the ends of said strip provide spring tabs for providing a positive contact with said battery terminals.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said oscillator is free running.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said illuminating device is a light-emitting diode.