Light emitting device

• US 3,901,121 A
• Filed: 06/14/1972
• Issued: 08/26/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl J. Kleiner
• Original Assignee: Carl J. Kleiner
• Inventors: Kleiner, Carl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US05/262,667
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 240/6.4W,1R,59 340/331,341 58/13E 84/484 307/292,132R 331/113R
• US Class Current: 84/484
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/0015 Illuminated or sound-producing jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/025 Electronic metronomes rhytem generation for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/36

Abstract

The device is worn by a person and comprises a frame having a face of a given design. Located within the frame is a freerunning multivibrator which is supplied with power from small batteries also located within the frame. In one embodiment, the device is a jewelry item adapted to be worn for example as a pendant or as a brooch while in another embodiment it is a metronome adapted to be worn on a person'"'"''"'"'s wrist. As a jewelry item it has two light emitting diodes coupled to the two stages of the multivibrator respectively which alternately emit light when the multivibrator is actuated. These diodes are spaced from each other and form two eyes of a face and which appear alternately to blink when the multivibrator is actuated. As a metronome, the device has one light emitting diode coupled to one stage of the multivibrator and which periodically is energized as the multivibrator is actuated. A control means is provided for varying the frequency of operation of the multivibrator and hence the frequency at which the diode is energized.

Claims

1. A light emitting device adapted to be worn or carried by a person, comprising:

a thin frame comprising an intermediate plate means sandwiched between a front plate and a rear plate, said intermediate plate means having a carrying zone formed therein, electrical components including a free-running multivibrator and a source of DC voltage for actuating said multivibrator located in said carrying zone, a light emitting diode to be periodically actuated by said multivibrator, said light emitting diode being connected in the circuit of said multivibrator and to one stage thereof, said light emitting diode being positioned to be visible from the front of said device, an on-off switch connected to the circuit of said multivibrator and extending through said frame to the exterior thereof for controlling the flow of electrical energy from said source to said multivibrator and hence to said light emitting diode, at least one of said front or rear plates being adapted to be removed for replacing components within said frame.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

said front plate has an aperture extending therethrough, said light emitting diode being positioned to extend into said aperture to a position whereby it is Visible from the front of said device.

3. The device of claim 2 comprising means coupled to said frame for allowing a person to wear said device as an item of jewelry, said source of voltage producing an output voltage not greater than about 6 volts DC, said multivibrator being characterized to periodically actuate said light emitting diode at a frequency slow enough to be perceived and seen by a human being.

4. The device of claim 2 comprising:

control means connected to the circuit of said multivibrator and extending through the frame to the outside for varying the frequency of operation of said multivibrator to form a variable frequency metronome having a light emitting diode as its beat producing means, said control means being adapted to vary the frequency of operation of said multivibrator within a range including the range from about 40 cycles to about 210 cycles per minute, and a bend connected to opposite ends of said frame for allowing a person to wear said metronome on the wrist, said source of voltage producing an output voltage not greater than about 6 volts DC.

5. The device of claim 4 comprising a band supporting plate sandwiched between said front plate and said rear plate, said band being connected to opposite ends of said band supporting plate.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein frame in its thin plane has a cross-sectional area not greater than about 3.4 square inches.

7. The device of claim 4 comprising:

means for shielding said light emitting diode against extraneous light to facilitate use of said device in daylight.