Ornament with image projector

• US 7,380,956 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hallmark Cards Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hallmark Cards Incorporated
• Inventors: Kobza, Carol, Carlson, Ronald L., Klenke, Brenda S., Steiger, Therese F., Finken, Stephen E., Richmond, Rebecca M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neils; Peggy A.
• Application Number:
  US11/152,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 362/564, 362/565, 362/561, 362/121, 362/123, 362/806, 362/654, 362/811, 428/11, 428/19
• US Class Current: 362/123
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/0827 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/089 for the upper extremity of the central stem
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/08 Christmas tree decorations
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/145 Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/807 Star

Abstract

Some embodiments of a decoration apparatus may have an attractive appearance and multi-functional capabilities. The decoration apparatus may include one or more internal light sources that provide lighting effects in combination with decorative elements formed in the structure. In addition to providing internal lighting effects, the decoration apparatus may include a projector device, which is capable of displaying a light pattern on a remote surface, such as a wall or a ceiling.

Claims

1. A tree topper decoration apparatus, comprising:

an ornament portion having a plurality of decorative elements formed in the ornament portion;

a base portion to releasably couple the ornament portion to a top portion of a tree;

a projector device having a projection light source and having an image-bearing element and at least one lens disposed proximate to the projection light source, wherein the at least one lens and the image-bearing element are separate from one another;

wherein when the projection light source is activated, light is projected through the image-bearing element to project an image onto a surface remote from the projector device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a programmable controller to selectively illuminate the projection light source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image projected onto the remote surface has a theme associated with at least a portion of the decorative elements formed in the ornament portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one ornament light source disposed in an interior space of the ornament portion such that, when the ornament light source is activated, light is emitted through the decorative elements of the ornament portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ornament portion includes a plurality of adjacent hollow shell portions, each hollow shell portion having an associated ornament light source disposed therein.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the hollow shell portion includes a front wall and apertures formed in the front wall so that light from the associated ornament light source projects through the apertures.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising at least one programmable controller to selectively illuminate the ornament light sources disposed in the plurality of hollow shell portions.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ornament portion includes a centrally disposed cavity at least partially defined by a front wall, further comprising a centrally located ornament light source in the centrally disposed cavity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a surface pattern formed in the front wall of the centrally disposed cavity such that light from the centrally located ornament light source illuminates the surface pattern.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image-bearing element is removable from the projector device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image-bearing element comprises an LCD panel, the LCD panel comprising an active region operable to display an image.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a controller coupled to the LCD panel to periodically modify the image displayed in the active region.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further including nonvolatile memory to store at least one digital image, the nonvolatile memory being coupled to controller so as to display the digital image in the active region of the LCD panel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a user may upload one or more digital images to the nonvolatile memory.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ornament portion has the appearance of a star.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector device is oriented parallel to a vertical axis so as to project the image in a substantially vertical direction onto the surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector device is oriented parallel to a non-vertical axis so as to project the image in a substantially non-vertical direction onto the surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projector device comprises a plurality of lenses disposed proximate to the projection light source so as to focus the image projected onto the surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image-bearing element comprises at least one of a film having an image formed thereon or a stencil having apertures through which light may pass.

20. A tree topper decoration apparatus, comprising:

an ornament portion having a plurality of decorative elements formed in the ornament portion;

a base portion to releasably couple the ornament portion to a top portion of a tree;

a projector device having a projection light source and having an image-bearing element and a plurality of lenses disposed proximate to the projection light source so as to focus the image projected onto a surface remote from the projector device;

wherein when the projection light source is activated, light is projected through the image-bearing element to project an image onto the surface remote from the projector device, the projector device being oriented parallel to a vertical axis so as to project the image in a substantially vertical direction onto the surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the image projected onto the remote surface has a theme associated with at least a portion of the decorative elements formed in the ornament portion.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the projector device is oriented parallel to a vertical axis so as to project the image in a substantially vertical direction onto the surface.