Patent Application
20220154924
Lighted beverage cups are known in the art. However, these lights are located in the base so that they can shine the light “up” into the liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,919,981 provides a cup with twinkling light effects, primarily comprising an inner cup, an outer cup, and a light unit, with the lower half of the inner cup having a number of arched convex strips, and the base of which has diamond-facet of concave and convex cones. As a result, when the light unit at the base of the outer cup is activated, the effects of the arched convex strips and diamond facets cause the cup to produce numerous refractions of the light source, creating twinkling rays of light with dazzling variation. As noted, the light is at the base and shines up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,435 discloses a drinking glass with an upper cup and supporting stem uses light emitting diodes mounted in recesses on the face of the cup in parallel with a light bulb mounted in the stem adjacent to the cup to provide illumination. A battery, switch and flasher mounted in the stem permits selection of on, off, or flashing options for this illumination. Designs can be cut into the face of the cup about any light emitting diode with fiber optics mounted within these designs to conduct light from the diode throughout the design. Again, this light is underneath the cup and shines up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,177 discloses an illuminated circular ring which provides lumination to various style drinking glasses. This ring being attachable or interdesigned into various style drinking glasses providing a housing for an integrated circuit board with state of the art surface mount solid state components. The components being attached to an interchangeable cover. This ring being considerably narrower than prior art; and works particularly well with a long completely hollow stem high foot champagne style glass. A glass in which the colored light gives to the bubbles of champagne or sparkling beverages a specially pleasing effect. All in an appropriate lightweight state of the art design. Again, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,177, the light is in the base shining up the stem of the champagne style glass and into the cup cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,440 is to an illuminated, color-changing, interchangeable drinking vessel assembly that includes an upper fluid retaining vessel, a neck, a collar on a stem, and a base. Magnets are located in the neck of the upper fluid retaining vessel and light emitting diodes (SMD LED's) and a magnetically actuated switch are located in the collar of the stem. A controller and battery are located in the base of the stem and are also electrically connected to the light emitting diodes. When the upper fluid retaining vessel and neck are magnetically attached to the collar of the stem, the magnetically operated switch detects the magnetic field and closes the circuit, activating the SMD LED's. Again, the light is at the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,186,005 is to a luminescent vessel for containment of drink and its accompanying luminescent coaster base, each provided with bands of energy absorbing photo-luminescent material, emit bright and long-lasting luminescent light making both the vessel and coaster base visible for hours when in a darkened environment. This visibility during the dark makes it possible that a sleeping person, awakening and desiring liquid, can see the nearby vessel, take it from the coaster base, use the vessel, and then return it securely to the illuminated coaster base without incident of spill or disturbance of the darkened environment. While this disclosure makes the vessel a light source, it is does not disclose a light shining into the vessel from the top.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,226,141 discloses an apparatus which can include a generally planar portion approximately in a plane. The apparatus can also include a lip portion extending in a direction generally orthogonal to the plane. The generally planar portion is joined to the lip portion at a circumferential edge of the generally planar portion to form a cover for a beverage receptacle. Likewise, a method can include providing contact information on a disposable cover adapted to cover a beverage receptacle. The contact information is not necessarily provided by the manufacturer of the beverage or beverage receptacle. The method can also include receiving contact from a user of the disposable cover. The method can further include coordinating the delivery of a service to the user of the disposable cover responsive to the contact received from the user. The patent discloses that the disposable cover may have an ultraviolet sterilization light.
The problem in the prior art is that all the lights require manually turning them on or off. There exists therefore for an automatic lighting device which turns itself on and off.
This specification discloses a lighting apparatus comprising a power source; at least one light source; a gravity switch having an on positional status and an off positional status; wherein the power source, the light source, and the gravity switch are electrically connected so that the light source emits wavelengths in the visible spectrum when the gravity switch is in the on positional status.
The specification further disclose that the gravity switch comprises a ball inside a tube wherein the ball has a position in the tube relative to a force of gravity.
It is further disclosed that the ball may not be magnetic.
It is further disclosed that the lighting apparatus may be enclosed in an enclosure as a lighting assembly. This enclosure may comprise a face, a base and at least one wall connecting the face and the back wherein at least a portion of the wavelengths emitted from the light source pass through the face and/or the at least one wall and the gravity switch is in the on positional status.
In one embodiment the enclosure is water resistant at a submersible pressure which may be at least 1 inch of water.
It is also disclosed that the at least one light source may be a light emitting diodes (LED). which may be selected from the group consisting of white, single-colored, flickering (candle like), and multi-colored.
In one embodiment there is a magnet attached to the base and the position of the ball in the tube during the on positional status is not affected by the magnet, i.e., the ball is not magnetic.
It is further described that the base of the enclosure may be attached to a lid of a beverage receptacle.
It is further disclosed that the lid has a horizontal closed position and a vertical open position, and the gravity switch is in the on positional status when the lid is in the horizontal closed position and the gravity switch is in the off positional status when the lid is in the horizontal closed position.
It is also disclosed that the base of the enclosure may be magnetically attached to the lid. This may be accomplished by placing the lid between the magnet attached to the base of the enclosure and a magnet on a side of the lid opposite the enclosure.
It is also disclosed that the magnet on the side of the lid opposite the enclosure is attached to a cap bearing a promotional demarcation.
Alternatively, the base of the enclosure is affixed to the lid means such as welding, gluing, curing, and suction.
The base of the enclosure further may alternatively comprise a threaded post passing through a hole in the lid and secured with a mated thread device.
Alternatively, the base of the enclosure and the lid may be of unitary construction, such as injection molded in one part.
The lid is further attached to a handle of the beverage enclosure. The beverage receptacle is a stein and/or selected from the group consisting of mugs, glasses, and cups.
Disclosed herein is a lighting apparatus which is a gravity actuated light cover for a beverage receptacle. The light cover is described below with reference to the Figures. As described herein and in the claims, the following numbers refer to the following structures as noted in the Figures.
Fg is the force of gravity.
As shown in
The embodiment of
The light source can come in many forms, provided the light source emits light having wavelengths in the visible spectrum when the circuit is closed (i.e., the gravity switch is on). Bulbs, light emitting diodes (LED), conductive metal wires, incandescent bulbs, and fluorescent bulbs are examples of such light sources. If the light source is a light emitting diode it may be selected from the group consisting of white, single-colored, flickering (candle like), and multi-colored light emitting diodes.
The gravity switch is used to open the circuit (turn the light off) and close the circuit (turn the light on). As such, the gravity switch will have a positional on and positional off as it is arranged in the assembly.
The gravity switch often comprises a ball (145) inside a tube wherein the ball has a position in the tube relative to a force of gravity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,154, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety describes such a switch as a molded cup-shaped dielectric member and a cup-shaped conductor member are pressed together to comprise an integral dimensionally stable sealed enclosure for a contact member movable axially therein for selectively making or breaking an electrical connection between the cup-shaped conductor member and a second conductor extending axially through and sealed within the base of the cup-shaped dielectric member. The axially outer surfaces of the base and the second conductor comprise electrical contacts for a gravity actuated switch. The overall axial dimension between the axially outer surfaces is obtained by telescoping the cup-shaped members coaxially together until the preselected axial dimension is obtained. In one embodiment the cup-shaped dielectric member has a cylindrical base and a coaxial diametrically reduced cylindrical portion extending from the cup-shaped base to an upper opening. The conductor is telescoped over the diametrically reduced portion in fluid sealing relationship. The enclosure has an interior cylindrical surface of optimum diameter for the axially movable contact member comprising a metallic ball also of optimum diameter for any given size switch.
While the ball is electrically conductive, it may be comprised of a magnetic material, or the ball may not be comprised of a magnetic material, or at least may not be affected by a magnet.
As shown in
In this manner, the enclosure is water resistant at a submersible pressure. The submersible pressure is the pressure at which water will enter the enclosure when the sealed enclosure is submersed in water at 25° C. The submersible pressure is preferably at least 1 inch of water, with at least 2 inches more preferred, with at least 3 inches being more preferred and at least 8 inches of water being even more preferred.
The water resistance is important as some may wish to place the light in the beverage of a beverage receptacle or want to wash the enclosure. Should one want to wash the enclosure the gasket and enclosure materials should be chosen so that the enclosure's submersible pressure is maintained at 80° C., which is the maximum temperature of most dishwashers. The enclosure's submersible pressure should be at least 415 inches of water at 121° C. if autoclaving is desired.
The enclosure comprises a face (153), a base and at least one wall (151) running from the face to the base wherein at least a portion of the wavelengths emitted from the light source pass through the face and/or the at least one wall when the gravity switch is in the on positional status.
The enclosure may also comprise a magnet at the base half (158). In this instance, the ball of the gravity switch should be made of a material which is not affected by the magnet, i.e., the ball should be non-magnetic. In this manner, the position of the ball in the tube remains in the on positional status when the lid is closed.
Once the lighting assembly is created it can be used in many ways. One way is to attach it to the lid of beverage receptacle as demonstrated in
A variant of
In one embodiment a device like a wire or cable clamp is used. The clamp has a hole on each end with a band connecting the two holes. The band is wrapped around the handle with a bolt passing through a first hole in the clamp, a hole in the lid at the pivot point (556), and the other hole in the clamp. The bolt is tightened making the lid pivotally attached to the handled mug.
If the lid is a magnetic metal, the base of the enclosure with the magnet can be magnetically attached to the lid.
The enclosure can be attached to the lid with hook and loop tape, two-sided tape, glue, epoxy or other adhesive, welding, soldering or suction cups.
As shown in
It is also believed that the enclosure base could further comprise a threaded post. This threaded post would pass through a hole in the lid (
The base of the enclosure and the lid could also be of unitary construction, such as an injection molded or thermoset part.
The opening of the beverage receptacle forms an opening plane which is usually perpendicular to the force of gravity. When the lid, which has a lid plane, is placed over the opening of the beverage receptacle, it too is usually perpendicular to the force of gravity. When the lid is on the beverage receptacle opening the lid plane and the opening plane are typically parallel.
The gravity switch should be arranged so that it is in its positional on status when the lid plane and opening plane are perpendicular to the force of gravity and it is in its positional off status when there is an angle formed by the intersection of opening plane and the lid plane and the angle is greater than 80° and in its positional on status when the angle is less than 80°.
More preferably the gravity switch is in its positional off status when there is an angle formed by the intersection of opening plane and the lid plane and the angle is greater than 75° and in its positional on state when the angle is less than 25°.
It is even more preferable that the gravity switch is in its positional off state when there is an angle formed by the intersection of opening plane and the lid plane and the angle is greater than 70° and in its positional on state when the angle is less than 30°.
It can also be said the lid has a horizontal closed position when it is on top of the opening and a vertical open position, and the gravity switch is in the on positional status when the lid is in the horizontal closed position and the gravity switch is in the off positional status when the lid is in the horizontal closed position.
The beverage receptacle is selected from the group consisting of mugs, glasses, and cups.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/113,383 filed on 13 Nov. 2020, the teachings of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63113383 | Nov 2020 | US |
