Time piece with LED light means

• US 8,305,846 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Original Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Tseng-Lu
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W
• Application Number:
  US12/292,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20090147526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/67, 368/82, 368/223, 368/278, 362/641, 362/644, 362/603, 362/645
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/003 for task lighting, e.g. for reading or desk work, e.g. angle poise lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• 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 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/023 Power supplies in a casing F21V23/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0004 Personal or domestic articles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0024 Household or table equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0048 Office articles, e.g. bookmarks, desk lamps with drawers, stands for books or music scores
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• 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: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/30 Illumination of dials or hands dials in general G04B19/06; moving indicating means with numbers or hands, in general G04B19/20; arrangements for indicating different local apparent times by means of a globe illuminated from inside G04B19/22; continuous indication of the time by non-electric light sources G04B25/00, e.g. by electric lamps G04C17/02; illumination by electric lamps which function at fixed times or periodically G04C19/02; illuminated panels G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/00 Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on or in vehicles G09F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/186 : using an electroluminiscent panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 : with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/713 : the switch being a safety switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 : Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 : with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 : the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 : Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 : Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 : Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 : characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A timepiece with LED lights uses a simple light-medium body with a very rough finish to allow light from LED(s) to pass though input-end(s) of the light-medium body and travel within the body and obtain a very even brightness on all surfaces of the light medium that are seen by a viewer. Combined with a milky/frosted front sheet overlay, the light-medium surface can get perfect area illumination effects. The movement for the time display can include analog indicators with a guilt-in light-medium on the top cover to achieve a super slim LED illumination for the time piece. For night light application, the sealed-unit may consist of prong-means and an LED related circuit sealed within a safety standard plastic material and assembled with the night light body to save a lot of cost enable use of all kinds of materials. The invention may also be adapted to an LCD display timepiece.

Claims

1. A combination of a sealed-unit and a set of component parts for an LED night light device, comprising:

a sealed unit including at least one housing to allow prong means and an LED related circuit to be sealed into a plastic material which meets a safety standard;

at least one LED to connect with the LED related circuit and prong means to receive power and exhibit functions and predetermined features for illumination, said LED being disposed in said sealed-unit or connected to the sealed unit by conductive wire, or installed on the surface of the sealed-unit such that electric metal legs of the LED are not accessible;

wherein said set of component parts includes a receiving means for receiving the sealed-unit and the sealed-unit is arranged to be assembled to the set of component parts by being received in said receiving means to make a final product, said receiving means including a recess in said set of component parts having a shape corresponding to a shape of said sealed-unit housing so that an entire said sealed-unit is received in said recess,

wherein the set of component parts is made of materials selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, wood, bamboo, pottery, porcelain, and glass, whereby because said LED related circuit and electric metal legs are sealed within said sealed unit, said component parts do not touch any live wires and therefore are not required to meet said safety standard,

wherein the set of component parts is one of a plurality of different sets of component parts, said plurality of different sets of component parts selected from a front member, base, body, housing, shade, colored unit, ornamental unit, cover, top shade, and components having different dimensions, colors, and light patterns, each of said different sets of component parts including said recess, each said recess in each of said different sets of component parts having a same said shape corresponding to said shape of said sealed-unit,

wherein a same said sealed-unit is arranged to be assembled to any of said plurality of different sets of component parts to provide different said night light devices with different final shapes, dimensions, color, brightness, and designs.