Night light with analog time piece

• US 6,158,868 A
• Filed: 03/27/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Original Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Tseng-Lu
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/049,131
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/34, 362/253, 362/202, 368/10, 368/84, 368/67, 368/82, 368/33, 368/62, 368/46, 439/13
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/035 by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0024 Household or table equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0076 Safety or security signalisation, e.g. smoke or burglar alarms, earthquake detectors; Self-defence devices
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/006 combined with a lighter

Abstract

An electro-luminescent night light includes an analog time piece. The time piece display includes a mechanical analog clock illuminated by at least one electro-luminescent element positioned around the shaft assembly for the clock, the shaft extending from a conventional analog time piece unit powered by a conventional power source, with the electro-luminescent element being powered by prongs arranged to be inserted into an AC outlet or other power source, or to be powered by a separate battery and circuit that causes the electro-luminescent element to illuminate in case of a power failure or a condition such as the presence of smoke, an earthquake, or the like, the time piece also optionally including additional functions. In addition, the orientation of the time piece display may be made variable in order to enable the night light/time piece to be used in different orientations.

Claims

1. An electro-luminescent night light and analog time piece assembly, comprising:

a housing having a front section and a rear section arranged to accommodate the analog time piece and an electro-luminescent lighting element, the analog time piece including hands, said hands being free to rotate about a shaft assembly and thereby indicate the time;

prongs arranged to connect the electro-luminescent lighting element to a power supply; and

a power source contained within said assembly for supplying power to the time piece.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electro-luminescent lighting element is selected from the group consisting of electro-luminescent panels, sheets, tubes, and fibers mounted on the housing to provide illumination of a clock surface.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electro-luminescent lighting element includes or forms an opening for said shaft assembly, and wherein said analog time piece includes at least an hour hand and a minute hand.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electro-luminescent lighting element has formed thereon designs selected from the group consisting of indicia, logos, advertisements, characters, figures, numbers, letters, masks, and stencils.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a protective member overlaying said electro-luminescent element, wherein the protective member has formed thereon designs selected from the group consisting of indicia, logos, advertisements, characters, figures, numbers, letters, masks, and stencils.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly includes electrical components selected from the group consisting of an inverter, at least one additional battery for providing power in the event of a power failure, a smoke detector, a flood detector, an earthquake detector, and an animal detector.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electro-luminescent lighting element is enclosed between an at least partially transparent front protective member and a rear protective member, said protective members each including a seal for preventing environmental hazards from affecting the electro-luminescent lighting element enclosed therein.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein each seal includes elements selected from the group consisting of screws, ultra-sonic sealing, adhesives, an o-ring, and a gasket.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein electrodes of the electro-luminescent lighting element extend through each seal to connect with said prongs.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electro-luminescent lighting element includes electrodes on a surface thereof, said electrodes directly engaging said prongs.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electro-luminescent lighting element includes electrodes on a surface thereof, and said assembly further including a resilient conductive member sandwiched between said electrodes and said prongs.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prongs are installed between a back housing and an inner plate.

13. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time piece is powered by batteries.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time piece includes an adjustment feature for adjusting said hands to indicate time.

15. an assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time piece includes means for performing additional functions selected from the group consisting of alarm, time-setting, music, radio, and sensor functions.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electro-luminescent lighting element is an electro-luminescent tube arranged in a circle around said shaft assembly.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a protective cover overlaying the hands of the time-piece.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said protective cover provides optical effects.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a time piece display, and means for varying the relative rotation of said time piece display with respect to said prongs.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said prongs are arranged to be rotatable relative to said housing.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 19, further comprising means for varying the relative rotation of said time piece display with respect to said housing.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein said time piece display includes a cover member on which time indicia are formed, and means for varying the relative rotation of said cover member with respect to the housing.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein said alignment means includes slots or tracks arranged to engage corresponding slots or tracks in said housing.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said time piece display includes a dial on which time indicia are formed, said dial being arranged to be rotated relative to said housing.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein said dial further includes an extension protruding from a slot in said housing for manipulation by a user to rotate said dial.

26. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an adapter, said adapter including means for changing an orientation of the assembly or for connecting the assembly to alternative power sources or devices.