|Publication number||US7128445 B1|
|Application number||US 11/072,804|
|Publication date||Oct 31, 2006|
|Filing date||Mar 3, 2005|
|Priority date||Mar 3, 2005|
|Publication number||072804, 11072804, US 7128445 B1, US 7128445B1, US-B1-7128445, US7128445 B1, US7128445B1|
|Inventors||Avi A. Karkay|
|Original Assignee||Avi A. Karkay|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (8), Referenced by (10), Classifications (28), Legal Events (6)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to ornamental lamp assemblies that utilizes a compact disc as a diffraction grating so that light from a light bulb can be reflected by the diffraction grating producing a myriad of different colors with the colors constantly changing.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that optically a diffraction grating consists of a regular series of fine lines ruled on a reflective surface of glass, plastic or metal. A type of structure that can be used as a diffraction grating is a compact disc. Compact discs have a continuous surface that can function as a light reflective surface with this continuous surface to have formed therein a concentric arrangement of a mass of grooves. Typical compact discs are CDs, DVDs, laser discs, mini discs and the like.
When light is reflected off the light reflective surface of a compact disc, different colors are produced. These colors are different shades of reds, blues, yellows, orange and greens. The appearance of these colors produces a desirable visual effect to an observer. When a light bulb is mounted in close proximity to the disc and when viewed in the direction of the light reflective surface, the reflected light produces a most desirable visual, colorful effect. Compact discs are commonly used for their data storage capacity. However, because of the construction of the compact disc, the compact disc also could be used as a light reflective, diffraction grating.
In the past, the using of a compact disc in conjunction with a light bulb socket has been known. However, the diffraction grating of the prior art has been fixedly mounted to the compact disc. It has been discovered that if the compact disc was to be permitted to freely wobble a limited amount that the produced colorful pattern is constantly changed thereby producing a much enhanced visual effect.
The basic embodiment of the present invention is directed to a light bulb socket which has a light bulb mounted therein. A sheet material, light reflective, diffraction grating has a center hole and also a light reflective surface. The light bulb socket is located in alignment in the center hole with the light reflective surface located directly adjacent the light bulb. The grating is mounted to be capable of limited free wobbling movement. Light that is emitted from the light bulb is reflected from the light reflective surface creating a most desirable visual effect comprising a series of different colored reflections which move about due to the wobbling mounting of the light diffraction grating. A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by defining that the sheet material, light reflective, diffraction grating is disc shaped.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by defining that the sheet material, light reflective, diffraction grating comprises a compact disc.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by defining that the center hole is oversized relative to the light bulb base thereby creating a loose fit mounting.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by defining that the diffraction grating is constructed of sheet material.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by defining that the diffraction grating is bowl shaped.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by stating that the diffraction grating is constructed of a series of light reflective areas and a series of light transmitting areas.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings.
Referring particularly to
Each ornamental lamp assembly 12 includes a bulb socket 18. Conventionally, there is usually attached to the bulb socket 18 a clip 20. The clip 20 is designed to facilitate attachment to an exterior structure, which is not shown. The use of such clips is exceedingly common and ordinary in conjunction with conventional bulb sockets 18.
Mounted within the bulb socket 18 is a light bulb 22. The light bulb 22 is shown to be of an incandescent type bulb. The light bulb has a narrow base 23 to which is attached the main portion of the light bulb 23. However, it is considered to be within the scope of this invention that other kinds of light bulbs could be used. Typically, the bulb socket 18 and the clip 20 are fabricated of a plastic material.
A compact disc 24 which has a light reflective surface 26 and a center hole 28 is mounted in conjunction with the bulb socket 18 and the light bulb 22. The compact disc 24 is retained in position between the body of the light bulb 22 and the bulb socket 18, as is clearly shown in
Referring particularly to
Referring particularly to
The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention.
Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US3463118||Apr 10, 1967||Aug 26, 1969||Wood Remsen V||Diffraction grating instrument dials|
|US3515459||Jan 3, 1967||Jun 2, 1970||Wood Remsen V||Inlay diffraction gratings|
|US5816686 *||Apr 14, 1996||Oct 6, 1998||Toyo Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd.||Electric lamp assembly with reflector having interlocking connection joint|
|US6312137 *||Oct 12, 2000||Nov 6, 2001||Hua Lung Hsieh||Structure of the ornament lamp|
|US6312142||Jan 13, 2000||Nov 6, 2001||Albert N. Dorsa||Lamp assembly with diffraction grating reflector|
|US6854863 *||Mar 4, 2003||Feb 15, 2005||Jeng-Shyong Wu||Multi-directional reflection decorative lighting equipment|
|US6958869 *||Feb 20, 2004||Oct 25, 2005||David Monastiere||Swivel-base sunlight reflector and kit for assembling same|
|US7066636 *||Aug 18, 2004||Jun 27, 2006||Jeng-Shyong Wu||Ornamental lamp strings assembly|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US7334912 *||Aug 30, 2006||Feb 26, 2008||Hung-Huei Chung||Decorative shining belt for patterned skeletons|
|US7600895 *||Aug 11, 2006||Oct 13, 2009||Target Brands, Inc.||Light display unit with fixture and light strand|
|US7748866 *||Jul 6, 2010||Kuo-An Pan||Lighting ornament including refractive elements|
|US20080037244 *||Aug 11, 2006||Feb 14, 2008||Target Brands, Inc.||Light display unit with fixture and light strand|
|US20080055890 *||Aug 30, 2006||Mar 6, 2008||Hung-Huei Chung||Decorative shining belt for patterned skeletons|
|US20080055904 *||Aug 30, 2006||Mar 6, 2008||Hung-Huei Chung||Patterned decorations with shining structures|
|US20080112167 *||Nov 15, 2006||May 15, 2008||Hung-Huei Chung||Ornaments having swingable shining pieces|
|US20090190361 *||Jul 30, 2009||Hung-Huei Chung||Assembly structure of the reflector plate|
|US20090213578 *||Feb 21, 2008||Aug 27, 2009||Kuo-An Pan||Lighting ornament including refractive elements|
|WO2008109907A1 *||Mar 13, 2008||Sep 18, 2008||Kolarz Gmbh||Reflector and luminaire having such a reflector|
|U.S. Classification||362/343, 362/304, 362/806|
|Cooperative Classification||F21S4/10, Y02W30/829, G02B27/425, Y10S362/806, F21S10/06, B44C5/005, B44F1/08, F21V17/06, F21W2121/00, F21V5/002, F21V14/04, F21V9/08, F21V17/02, F21V33/0056, F21V13/04|
|European Classification||F21S4/00E, G02B27/44, F21V33/00A9B, F21V5/00H, F21V9/08, F21V17/02, F21V14/04, B44F1/08, B44C5/00B|
|Jun 7, 2010||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Jun 19, 2010||SULP||Surcharge for late payment|
|Jun 19, 2010||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 13, 2014||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Oct 31, 2014||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Dec 23, 2014||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20141031