Liquid-activated lighted ice cube

• US 7,049,766 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward D. Lewis
• Original Assignee: Buztronics
• Inventors: Lewis, Edward D., Webber, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Trinh Vo
• Application Number:
  US10/720,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20040130886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 315/76, 315/127, 315/128, 315/185.S, 362/101, 362/96
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2238 with illumination means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0028 Decorative household equipment, e.g. plant holders or food dummies
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A liquid-activated lighted ice cube includes a battery-powered electrical circuit and LED housed in a hollow body that resembles an ice cube. The circuit includes electrodes exposed to the exterior of the hollow body that, when in contact with water or other liquid beverage, cause the circuit to turn on the LED and illuminate the beverage.

Claims

1. A liquid-activated lighted artificial ice cube, comprising:

a hollow body;

a pair of electrodes exposed on the exterior of said hollow body;

an electronic circuit disposed within said hollow body, said circuit including a battery, an LED, an active circuit element controlling current between said battery and said LED, an electronic switch responsive to current flowing through a conductive liquid path between said electrodes for controlling current between said battery and said active circuit element, said electronic switch being connected to said pair of electrodes;

wherein said electronic switch disconnects said active circuit element from said battery in the absence of a conductive liquid path between said electrodes and thereby deenergizes the entire circuit.

2. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said active circuit element is an integrated circuit.

3. The ice cube of claim 2, wherein said electronic switch is a transistor.

4. The ice cube of claim 3, wherein said active circuit element provides current to said LED such that said LED is held on continuously while current flows through a conductive liquid path between said electrodes.

5. The ice cube of claim 3, wherein said active circuit element provides current to said LED intermittently such that said LED flashes while current flows through a conductive liquid path between said electrodes.

6. The ice cube of claim 4, wherein said active circuit element interrupts current to said LED such that said LED is turned off in the absence of a conductive liquid path between said electrodes.

7. The ice cube of claim 4, wherein said active circuit element interrupts current to said LED such that said LED is turned off a set period of time after removal of a conductive liquid path between said electrodes.

8. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said electronic switch is a transistor.

9. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said active circuit element provides current to said LED such that said LED is held on continuously while current flows through a conductive liquid path between said electrodes.

10. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said active circuit element provides current to said LED intermittently such that said LED flashes while current flows through a conductive liquid path between said electrodes.