Liquid-activated lighted ice cube

• US 7,648,255 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward D. Lewis
• Original Assignee: Buztronics
• Inventors: Webber, Christopher A., Lewis, Edward D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US11/438,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 362/101, 362/154, 362/158, 362/205, 362/253, 362/394
• US Class Current: 362/253
• 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;

a printed circuit board disposed within said hollow body, said circuit board having mounted thereon an LED, an integrated circuit in die form, and a transistor; and

a battery disposed in the lower half of said hollow body below said printed circuit board, said battery being connected to said LED, said integrated circuit, said transistor and said electrodes;

wherein said electrodes are located at the bottom of said hollow body;

wherein said LED is located in the upper half of said hollow body; and

wherein said hollow body includes a bottom wall having at least one lower standoff extending upwardly therefrom and includes a top wall having at least one upper standoff extending downwardly therefrom, said circuit board being sandwiched between said lower and upper standoffs.

2. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said hollow body includes a bottom wall having a plurality of posts spaced and sized to receive and hold said battery therebetween.

3. The ice cube of claim 2, wherein said plurality of posts and said at least one lower standoff are of approximately equal height.

4. The ice cube of claim 3, wherein said hollow body includes a bottom wall, four side walls that are substantially perpendicular to said bottom wall and extend upwardly therefrom, said four side walls being integrally joined together at four substantially vertical corners and being integrally joined to said bottom wall to form an open-topped box, and further includes a top wall hermetically sealed to top surfaces of said side walls to form an enclosed space in which said circuit board and battery are disposed.

5. The ice cube of claim 4, wherein each post includes an arcuate inner surface.

7. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said transistor interconnects said electrodes and said integrated circuit, and said LED is connected to said integrated circuit such that the current flowing through said LED also flows through said integrated circuit.

8. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein said circuit board has a single transistor interconnecting said electrodes and said integrated circuit.

9. The ice cube of claim 1, wherein the current through said electrodes is supplied to said integrated circuit.

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

a hollow body;

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

a printed circuit board disposed within said hollow body, said circuit board having mounted thereon an LED, an integrated circuit in die form, and a transistor;

a battery disposed in the lower half of said hollow body below said printed circuit board, said battery being connected to said LED, said integrated circuit, said transistor and said electrodes; and

a weight surrounding said battery in the lower half of said hollow body, the mass of said weight being selected such that said hollow body floats substantially submerged at the surface of a liquid in which it is immersed;

wherein said weight is a substantially planar sheet having a hole therethrough to provide clearance for said battery.

10. The ice cube of claim 6, wherein said transistor interconnects said electrodes and said integrated circuit, and said LED is connected to said integrated circuit such that the current flowing through said LED also flows through said integrated circuit.

11. The ice cube of claim 6, wherein said circuit board has a single transistor interconnecting said electrodes and said integrated circuit.

12. The ice cube of claim 6, wherein the current through said electrodes is supplied to said integrated circuit.