U.S. patent number 3,684,882 [Application Number 05/065,877] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-15 for transparent or translucent decorative unit having an encased light source and a self contained power arrangement.
Invention is credited to Anthony Mininno, Mildred Shulman, John Slattery.
United States Patent |
3,684,882 |
Mininno , et al. |
August 15, 1972 |
TRANSPARENT OR TRANSLUCENT DECORATIVE UNIT HAVING AN ENCASED LIGHT
SOURCE AND A SELF CONTAINED POWER ARRANGEMENT
Abstract
A decorative unit having a transparent or translucent solid form
mounted on a base. Encased in the solid form is a light source
which projects light beams through the form. The base is hollow and
is constructed into two compartments in which one has the wire
connections therein and the other houses the power supply.
Inventors: |
Mininno; Anthony (New York,
NY), Slattery; John (New York, NY), Shulman; Mildred
(New York, NY) |
Family
ID: |
22065756 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/065,877 |
Filed: |
August 21, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/184; 362/810;
40/546 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21S
9/02 (20130101); B44C 5/00 (20130101); Y10S
362/81 (20130101); F21W 2121/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21S
8/00 (20060101); F21S 9/00 (20060101); F21S
9/02 (20060101); F21p 001/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/6.4,8.16,8.1,10,1B,1C,1F,1P,1S,1T,100,11.2 ;116/124.4
;313/110,112,114,116,220,221,222,312-318 ;40/130,13K |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Capozi; Louis J.
Claims
What is claimed is
1. A decorative unit comprising a supporting hollow base member, a
plurality of spaced transparent or translucent solid forms mounted
on said base member each having at least one light source encased
therein with the electrical leads extending freely therefrom, said
hollow base member being provided with a top surface having spaced
holes therein, said base member including a fixed partition
dividing said base member into two chambers, a removable closure
for said base member, a power source in one of said chambers, and
electrical connections in the other of said chambers for
operatively connecting said light source to said power source, said
electrical leads passing through said spaced holes in the top
surface of said base member and being connected to said electrical
connections.
2. A decorative unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of
light sources are provided, and said electrical connections
constitute a parallel wiring system for said plurality of light
sources.
3. A decorative unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said unit is
constituted of a plurality of rectangular blocks of different
dimensions, and a single light source in each of said blocks.
4. A decorative unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part
of said solid form is curvilinear.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Decorative units employing the use of light are known for both
outdoor and indoor use, for example, the use of external lighting,
such as spot lights or floodlights projected on transparent of
translucent panels or blocks are known. Moreover, this unit
requires the use of conventional power outlets, such as 110 volt
AC, and therefore, requires a line cord connection. The latter, of
course, is unsightly and therefore is undesirable. In addition,
internal light rays in a transparent or a translucent material have
a more pleasing decorative effect than is the case with an external
light projection system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transparent
or translucent decorative unit having an internal encased light
source as well as a self-contained power arrangement. Thus, the
entire unit is portable and may be carried or taken from place to
place and is especially desirable as a table decoration.
It is also an object of the present invention to enlarge the
proportions of the decorative unit to any suitable scale to form an
outdoor sculpture in which the internal components thereof are
waterproof.
It should be apparent that the present low voltage,
battery-operated unit is safe to operate in all environments since
there is no high voltage power supply. In addition, inasmuch as the
bulb is enclosed in a solid transparent or translucent structure,
the bulb itself becomes unbreakable. Moreover, the bulb may be so
encased in a transparent or translucent material to render the same
moistureproof.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a
translucent or transparent decorative unit constituting specially
designed shapes such as solid blocks, spheres, tubes and the like.
The light source may be a permanently encased neon bulb, and the
particular blocks, spheres or specially designed shapes may be made
of polyester resin, lucite glass, polyethylene or plexiglass. In
some instances, it is desirable to lightly color the particular
forms in order that the internal light source gives off different
shades of light.
It is another object of the present invention to encase the neon
bulb or bulbs within the particular form selected, but permitting
the wire or pigtails to project therefrom. In the alternative, the
bulbs may be encased within the particular form having a metal
base, or screw-in base or metal plug-in base. The wiring or metal
type base is then attached in parallel wiring arrangement in a
support taking the form of a generally rectangular or oblong-shaped
base, or a free standing panel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a unit
which is attractive in appearance and is easily portable,
attachable, hangable and when miniaturized and sealed in a
watertight container, is floatable.
The invention will now be more fully described with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of
the construction embodying the principles of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, partly in cross-section and partly
in elevation;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view, having part of the construction removed
for purposes of clarity;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the forms of the present
invention; and
FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views of alternate designs
employing the principles of the present invention.
Referring to the drawings, and especially to FIGS. 5 - 9 thereof,
there are shown several embodiments of the present invention, in
which a base 10 mounts the solid shape or form of transparent or
translucent material 12. The base 10 may be wood or metal, plastic,
fiberglass or the like; however, configuration 12 may take the form
of clear or translucent colored polyester resin, lucite,
polyethylene, glass, plexiglass, or any other synthetic compound or
resin that lends itself to permanent shape or form, and in which,
neon bulbs 14 or the like, may be embedded.
FIG. 4 shows a series of blocks 16 of graduated sizes, each holding
a taper 18. Each of the blocks 16 has a permanently encased neon
bulb therein when the bulb is lit and as the candle burns, a
desirable effect is created.
FIG. 5 illustrates a tubular configuration 12 having a series of
neon bulbs 14 therein, while FIG. 6 shows a single rectangular
block with a neon bulb 14 therein.
FIG. 7 shows a combination of a single block 12 and two generally
round transparent or translucent structures 12 all mounted on base
10.
FIG. 8 illustrates a simulated article of fruit 12 illuminated by
an internally encased neon bulb 14, while FIG. 9 illustrates a
series of mushroom-like configurations 12 mounted on base 10 and
illuminated by bulb 14.
Thus, it should be apparent that a multitude of configurations can
be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention, the
only requirement being that the configuration be of permanent shape
or form and constituted of translucent or transparent material.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 - 3, it should be noted that the present
invention discloses a hollow supporting base 10 being partitioned
at 20 in order to form a compartment 22 for a battery source 24 and
a separate compartment 26 to house the parallel wiring arrangement
of the present invention. The partition 20 is preferably
permanently fixed in place, while the cover 38 at the bottom of the
base 10 is slidable in order to expose the battery compartment 22.
Thus, ready access can be obtained to the battery compartment, but
not to the chamber 26 housing the parallel wiring.
The parallel wiring system 30 may be in the form of a hand-wired
circuit or a printed circuit and constitutes parallel connecting
wires 32 and 34 in series with the lamps 14, each having a resistor
36, secured between parallel wire 34 and the adjacent neon bulb 14.
It should be noted that the neon bulbs 14 each are encased in their
respective shapes or forms with the ends or wire leads 38 and 40
projecting therefrom, so that the latter may be easily connected to
the parallel wiring system 30 by means of soldering or the like.
Spaced holes are drilled in the top of support base 10 at 42 and 44
in order to permit the wire leads to be inserted therethrough and
connect to the parallel wiring system 30 as shown in FIG. 2. The
parallel wiring system 30 also includes a conventional on-off
switch 46 in the base member 10. The battery 24 is provided with a
connector element 48 which in turn is directly connected to the
parallel wiring system. Accordingly, when the on-off switch is
operative in the "ON" position, the parallel wiring system delivers
current to the multiplicity of neon bulbs 14. In this manner, the
particular shape or form is internally lit and the rays of light
projecting through the forms create a pleasing aesthetic effect.
The entire unit is compact and portable and therefore lends itself
to use as a table decoration such as a centerpiece. Moreover, units
of this type may be altered in particular design configuration to
be used, for example, in connection with a wedding cake decoration,
or any other type of decoration in which the use of internally
projected light within a translucent or transparent solid form is
desirable.
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