Nightlight, LED power supply circuit, and combination thereof

• US 7,481,570 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Souza, Michael, Tanacan, Mehmet K., Brunkhurst, Wilson, Ferreira, John, Pacitto, Anthony, Diorio, Joseph, Hua, Jenkin P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron; Ismael
• Application Number:
  US10/519,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 362/641, 362/642, 362/644, 362/646, 362/282, 362/319, 362/322, 362/250, D26/26, 315/187, 315/185.S, 315/231, 315/283
• US Class Current: 362/642
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/02 with provision for adjustment F21V17/04 - F21V17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/68 mounted on directly pluggable apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a night light assembly which plugs directly into an electrical wall receptacle to provide a beam of light that can be directed along different paths.

Claims

1. A night light comprising:

a base having blade contacts for insertion into an electrical receptacle;

a cover member having a lens affixed thereto;

a lamp support member for receiving an LED for emitting light through the lens, the lamp support member being non-rotatably coupled to the cover member at a first end and rotatably coupled to the base member at a second end; and

,

a light sensor coupled to the base member to control activation of the lamp in response to the ambient light level.

2. The night light of claim 1 further comprising a power supply circuit for the LED comprising:

a resistor,

a diode,

an LED, and

a capacitor, all connected in series and adapted to be connected to a source of AC potential wherein the value of the current in the series circuit is determined by the value of the impedance of the resistor in series with the capacitors.

3. A night light comprising:

a base member having blade contacts for insertion into an electrical receptacle;

a first electrical contact coupled to a first blade contact and a second electrical contact coupled to a second blade contact wherein the first and second contacts are slidably coupled to base contacts of the lamp via a PCB board;

a cover member having a lens affixed thereto;

a lamp support member for receiving an LED for emitting light through the lens, the lamp support member supports outwardly projecting protrusions adapted to be held captive by a support member of the cover member having an opening for receiving the LED and being non-rotatably coupled to the cover member at a first end and rotatably coupled to the base member at a second end;

the base having a first section and a second section which connect together, wherein the first section has a first portion of a retaining wall and a first section of an opening, and

the second section has a second portion of the retaining wall and a second section of the opening wherein the first and second sections of the opening support the second end of the lamp support member;

a light sensor coupled to the base member to control activation of the LED in response to the ambient light level; and

a power supply circuit coupled to the LED comprising;

a resistor;

a diode; and

a capacitor, all connected in series and adapted to be connected to a source of AC potential wherein the value of the current in the series circuit is determined by the value of the impedance of the resistor in series with the capacitor.

4. The night light of claim 3 wherein the second end of the lamp support member is funnel shaped.

5. The night light of claim 4 wherein the first and second sections of the opening fit around and are rotatably coupled to the second end of the lamp support member.

6. The night light of claim 3 further comprising:

a support member located within the cover member having a centrally located opening and recesses for receiving and holding captive the lamp support member.

7. The night light of claim 6 wherein the recesses support latch members engage and retain the first end of the lamp support member captive to the support member.

8. The night light of claim 7 wherein the first end of the lamp support member supports arms which fit within the recesses in the support member and are retained in place by the latch members.

9. The night light of claim 8 wherein the second end of the lamp support member supports a radially extending protrusion which rotatably engage a retaining wall of the base member.

10. The night light of claim 9 wherein the retaining wall of the base member rotatably engages the second end of the lamp support member between the radially extending protrusion and the support member of the cover member.

11. The night light of claim 10 wherein the radially extending protrusion at the second end of the lamp support member is an outwardly extending flange.

12. The night light of claim 10 wherein the radially extending protrusion at the second end of the lamp support member is funnel shaped.

13. The night light of claim 12 wherein the small diameter of the funnel shaped end of the lamp support member is coupled to the second end of the lamp support member.