LED night light has laser or hologram element(s)

• US 7,832,918 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aaron Chien, Hsin-Yi Wang, Te-Ju Chien
• Original Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Tseng-Lu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Gunyoung T
• Application Number:
  US12/318,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20090175033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 362/641, 362/642, 362/643, 36224902-24906, 359/15, 359/13, 359/22, 359/32
• US Class Current: 362/641
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/235 Details of bases or caps, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within bases or caps F21K9/238 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/66 Details of globes or covers forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/002 using liquids, e.g. water
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/038 intended to be mounted on a light track suspended from a light track F21S8/066; details of supporting elements displaceable along a guiding element F21V21/34
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0025 the fastening means engaging the conductors of the light source, i.e. providing simultaneous fastening of the light sources and their electric connections
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/006 of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/22 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/29 employing universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0492 the sensor detecting a change in orientation, a movement or an acceleration of the lighting device, e.g. a tilt switch
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/00 Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air-treatment systems F24F13/078
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 : Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/008 : Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 : for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 : Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 : Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 : T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 : Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 : Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED night light has a laser or hologram optics-element and is suitable for night time or dark area use over an extended time period. The night light may be a plug-in wall outlet night light or direct current(DC) operated night light having an image, message, or logo shown on the surface of the optics element. The LED night light parts that may include a housing member, optics-lens, openings, cut-outs, and/or plastic parts to create a preferred image. The night light can be designed with added features to enable adjustment of the angle, distance, position, or orientation of the LED(s) with respect to the optics-means to provide eye-catching light effects by varying the image size, dimensions, etc. The power source may be interchanged between an AC powered sealed-unit and a DC powered battery-pack.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) night light having a laser or hologram optics-means, comprising:

at least one LED that serves as a light source for visible light beams;

at least one laser or hologram optics-means for displaying on a surface of the optics-means an image, message, or logo created by light passing through the optics-means, said laser or hologram optics-means including parts selected from the group consisting of a housing member, optics lens, plastic piece, openings, cut-outs, transparent material piece, translucent material piece, sealed unit, and battery pack; and

at least one of a power source, circuit means, and trigger means arranged to work with said at least one LED to provide at lease one of a desired light function, timing, colors, brightness, and illumination and to meet safety standards for use by people over a period of time;

the improvement wherein;

at least one of a position, orientation, and light beam emitting direction of said LED is arranged to be changed relative to the laser or hologram optics-means to change a size, brightness, dimension or specification of said image, message, or logo created by light passing through the optics-means and displayed on the surface of the optics-means, and

said night light is a night light having a prong means for plugging the night light into a wall outlet to provide electric power to the night light for said period of time to provide illumination in a dark environment.

2. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prong means is directly plugged into said wall outlet without wires between the night light and prong means.

3. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 1, wherein night light is separated from said wall outlet by a wire connecting said night light and said prong means.

4. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealed-unit is arranged to supply said electric power from said prong means to said at least one LED without risk of electric shock, and wherein said sealed-unit is interchangeable with a battery pack arranged to fit into a same space in said night light to supply electric power from batteries in said battery pack to said at least one LED, said interchangeability between said sealed-unit and said battery pack permitting the night light to be changed from a direct current (DC) power source to an alternating current (AC) power source or from an AC power source to a DC power source.

5. A light emitting diode (LED) night light having a laser or hologram optics-means, comprising:

at least one LED that serves as a light source for visible light beams;

at least one laser or hologram optics-means for displaying on a surface of the optics-means an image, message, or logo created by light passing through the optics-means, said laser or hologram optics-means including parts selected from the group consisting of a housing member, optics lens, plastic piece, openings, cut-outs, transparent material piece, translucent material piece, sealed unit, and battery pack; and

at least one of a power source, circuit means, and trigger means arranged to work with said at least one LED to provide at lease one of a desired light function, timing, colors, brightness, and illumination and to meet safety standards for use by people over a period of time;

the improvement wherein;

said image, message, or logo is created by incorporating means for creating said image, message, or logo into a laser processed film or injection piece that forms said laser or hologram optics-means, said laser processed film or injection piece being situated in front of said at least one LED such that light from the LED passes through the optics-means to enable said image, message, or logo to be seen by a viewer,

said power source of said night light is a direct current power source that supplies electric power to said at least one LED to cause said image, message, or logo to be displayed on a surface of said laser processed film or injection piece, and

at least one of a position, orientation, and light beam emitting direction of said LED is arranged to be changed relative to the laser or hologram optics-means to change a size, brightness, dimension or specification of said image, message, or logo created by light passing through the optics-means and displayed on the surface of the optics-means.

7. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said circuit means is arranged to provide light functions selected from the group consisting of fade-in and fade-out, automatic color changing, sequential or random on and off, chasing, pair flashing, time delay, time period selection, steady on, turn on or off in response to a photo or motion sensor, brightness changing, rotating effects, and other market-available light functions.

8. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said optic-means is an injection plastic piece.

9. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said optics-means has a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of a sphere, ball, half-ball, coil, roll, twisted pipe, and shape that has been pre-cut to fit a desired housing member.

10. The LED night light having a laser or hologram optics-means as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said circuit means is selected from the group consisting of a circuit board, integrated circuit, conductive means, switch means, AC jack, solar module, AC plug and wire, AC adaptor, sensor means, motion sensor means, and timer means to provide a desired light function and effects.

6. A light emitting diode (LED) night light having a laser or hologram optics-means, comprising:

a housing;

at least one LED that serves as a light source for visible light beams;

at least one laser or hologram optics-means for displaying on a surface of the optics-means an image, message, or logo created by light passing through the optics means, said laser or hologram optics-means including parts selected from the group consisting of a housing member, optics lens, plastic piece, openings, cut-outs, transparent material piece, translucent material piece, sealed unit, and battery pack; and

at least one of a power source, circuit means, and trigger means arranged to work with said at least one LED to provide at lease one of a desired light function, timing, colors, brightness, and illumination and to meet safety standards for use by people over a period of time;

the improvement wherein;

the LED night light is a direct current (DC) power source night light arranged to be turned on when said housing has been touched or pushed to cause said circuit means to turn on and off according to predetermined functions and duration,

said power source supplies DC power from one of;

an alternating current (AC) adaptor with a jack;

a solar power source;

a wind power source;

a chemical power source;

a generator power source; and

any other market-available direct power source, and

at least one of a position, orientation, and light beam emitting direction of said LED is arranged to be changed relative to the laser or hologram optics-means to change a size, brightness, dimension or specification of said image, message, or logo created by light passing through the optics-means and displayed on the surface of the optics-means.