Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6733155
-
Patent Number
6,733,155
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, December 4, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 11, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- O'Shea; Sandra
- Tsidulko; Mark
Agents
- Pauley Petersen & Erickson
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 362 226
- 362 216
- 362 351
- 362 256
- 362 363
- 362 255
- 362 263
- 362 249
- 362 806
- 362 809
- 439 217
- 439 218
- 439 22
- 439 221
- 439 537
- 313 493
- 313 634
- 313 635
- 313 31801
- 313 31812
- 313 467
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A decorative light bulb includes an outer surface forming a decorative shape and one or more inert gases inserted within the decorative light bulb to create ethereal electrical arcing having a first color. A surface feature is formed along the outer surface and a coating is applied on an inner surface of the surface feature. As a result of the coating, ethereal electrical arcing is formed having a second color along the inner surface of the surface feature.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a decorative light bulb having a contoured surface feature with a coating applied to an inner surface of the contoured surface feature to produce a localized multi-color display.
2. Description of Related Art
Decorative light bulbs include those wherein a voltage is applied across one or more inert gases within the bulb to create a plurality of traveling, ethereal electrical arcs. This arcing effect traces across the outer surface of the bulb and follows arbitrary patterns throughout the bulb. Existing decorative light bulbs generally only include a single color or multiple colors that arc in arbitrary patterns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of this invention to provide a decorative light bulb having a electrical arcing display of two or more colors positioned to form distinct surface features that define a decorative shape.
It is another object of this invention to provide a decorative light bulb having a coating along an inner surface of surface features to provide a second distinct color of electrical arcing or illumination during operation of the decorative light bulb.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a decorative light bulb formed in a decorative shape with surface features illuminated with a distinct color from the remaining outer surface of the decorative light bulb.
According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, a decorative light bulb is an electrical ornamental or decorative bulb wherein a voltage is applied across one or more inert gases within the bulb to create a plurality of traveling, ethereal electrical arcs in one or more colors.
The decorative light bulb preferably includes an outer surface forming a decorative shape having pleasing, recognizable and/or desirable aesthetics such as a globe, a cube, an animal such as a dolphin, a skull, a plant such as a mushroom, a tornado shape, a fanciful sculpture or any other feasible configuration.
According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, surface features are formed on the outer surface. Surface features preferably distinguish and define the decorative shape. A coating is then applied along an inner surface of the surface feature. The coating is preferably a phosphor or a similar agent known to those having ordinary skill in the art. When the decorative light bulb is not in operation, the coating is preferably not visible along the outer surface of the decorative light bulb.
One or more inert gases are preferably inserted within the decorative light bulb so that when a charge is applied to the inert gases, an ethereal electrical arcing is created.
The localized application of the coating along the inner surface of the surface feature results in, during a powered state of the decorative light bulb, a first color illuminating the outer surface of the decorative light bulb and a second color along the inner surface of the surface feature thereby distinguishing the surface feature from the remainder of the outer surface. As a result, during operation of the decorative light bulb, electrical arcing having a first color will illuminate the outer surface and electrical arcing having a second color will illuminate the surface features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings show a decorative light bulb, according to preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a side view of a decorative light bulb according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 2
is a side view of the decorative light bulb shown in FIG.
1
and positioned within a base;
FIG. 3
is a side view of a decorative light bulb according to another preferred embodiment of this invention; and
FIG. 4
is a side view of a decorative light bulb according to yet another preferred embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1-4
show various embodiments of decorative light bulb
10
according to preferred embodiments of this invention. Decorative light bulb
10
is preferably an electrical ornamental or decorative bulb wherein a voltage is applied across one or more inert gases within the bulb to create a plurality of traveling, ethereal electrical arcs in one or more colors. Decorative light bulb
10
is generally ornamental in nature and desirable as a novelty or decorative display more than for its utility as a light fixture.
Decorative light bulb
10
preferably includes outer surface
20
forming a decorative shape. The decorative shape may be geometric, arbitrary, symmetrical, non-symmetrical or any other shape having pleasing and/or desirable aesthetics. Accordingly, decorative shape may comprise a diamond, a globe, a cube, an animal such as a dolphin, a skull, a plant such as a mushroom, a tornado shape, a fanciful sculpture or any other feasible configuration. The preceding list is representative and not exhaustive, as the potential decorative shapes for the present invention are limited only by the imagination of the designer and/or the sophistication of the bulb forming equipment.
Decorative light bulb
10
, and particularly outer surface
20
is preferably made of a translucent glass, such as colored glass. Any suitable material known to those skilled in the art may be used to produce bulb, being transparent or translucent, of any size, shape, configuration, symmetry and/or color.
As briefly described above, one or more inert gases are preferably inserted within decorative light bulb
10
. Possible inert gases include Xenon and Argonne and gases having similar properties known to those having ordinary skill in the art. When a charge is applied to the inert gases, an ethereal electrical arcing is created. Accordingly, when the charge is applied to a decorative light bulb without the additional features described below, the ethereal electrical arcing is generally limited to a first color.
According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, surface feature
30
is formed on outer surface
20
. Surface feature
30
is preferably molded or integrally formed with outer surface
20
and generally includes a corresponding inner surface
40
within decorative light bulb
10
. Examples of such surface features
30
may include continents on a globe decorative shape; eyes, nose and mouth on a skull decorative shape; contoured edges on a cube decorative shape; and other surface features
30
that distinguish and define the decorative shape.
According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, coating
45
is applied along inner surface
40
of surface feature
30
. According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, coating
45
is a phosphor or a similar agent known to those having ordinary skill in the art. More particularly, coating
45
is a tri-band lamp phosphor. Possible tri-band lamp phosphors for use in connection with the subject invention include yttrium oxide, zinc silicate and strontium chlorapatite. According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, coating
45
is not visible from the outside of decorative light bulb
10
. As a result, decorative light bulb appears translucent or transparent without any indication of the presence of coating
45
.
This localized application of coating
45
along inner surface
40
of surface feature
30
results in, during a powered state of decorative light bulb
10
, a second color along inner surface
40
of surface feature
30
thereby distinguishing surface feature
30
from the remainder of outer surface
20
. As a result, during operation of decorative light bulb
10
, electrical arcing having a first color will illuminate outer surface
20
and electrical arcing having a second color will illuminate surface features
30
. This multi-color display results in decorative light bulb
10
having defined areas of color based upon the surface features
30
along outer surface
20
of decorative shape.
According to one preferred embodiment of this invention shown in
FIG. 1
, decorative light bulb
10
includes a decorative shape comprising a globe and surface features
30
comprising a plurality of contoured continents. As a result of the particular application of coating
30
along inner surface
40
of continents, when decorative light bulb
10
is turned on, outer surface
20
preferably appears blue like the ocean and surface features
30
appear green like land masses.
According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, decorative light bulb
10
includes plug
60
. Plug
60
is preferably removably connected with respect to base
70
and more particularly a bore within base
70
. Such an arrangement is taught in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,829, which is incorporated herein by reference. As a result of the removable arrangement of plug
60
and base
70
, two or more distinct decorative light bulbs
10
may be interchangeable within base
70
.
In a method of manufacturing decorative light bulb
10
according to this invention, outer surface
20
is formed into a decorative shape using conventional bulb forming techniques. The desired surface feature
30
are additionally formed within outer surface
20
. A coating, such as the various phosphors described above, is next applied along inner surface
40
of surface feature
30
. Upon completion of outer surface
20
and surface features
30
, one or more inert gases are preferably inserted within decorative light bulb
10
. Plug
60
may additionally be integrated with decorative light bulb
10
and may be interchangeably removable with respect to base
70
.
While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments, and many details are set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described in this specification and in the claims can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of this invention.
Claims
- 1. A decorative light bulb comprising:an outer surface forming a decorative shape; one or more inert gases within the decorative light bulb creating ethereal electrical arcing having a first color; a surface feature formed on the outer surface, the surface feature having an inner surface; and a coating applied on the inner surface of the surface feature, the coating resulting in ethereal electrical arcing having a second color along the inner surface of the surface feature.
- 2. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 further comprising a plug removably connected with respect to a base.
- 3. The decorative light bulb of claim 2 wherein two or more distinct decorative light bulbs are interchangeable within the base.
- 4. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 wherein the decorative shape comprises a globe and the surface feature comprises a plurality of contoured continents.
- 5. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 wherein the coating is a phosphor.
- 6. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 wherein the decorative shape comprises a cube.
- 7. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 wherein the decorative shape comprises a skull.
- 8. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 wherein the decorative shape comprises an animal.
- 9. The decorative light bulb of claim 1 wherein the coating is not visible from outside of decorative light bulb.
- 10. A decorative light bulb comprising:an outer surface forming a globe; one or more inert gases within the decorative light bulb creating ethereal electrical arcing having a blue color; a plurality of contoured continents formed on the outer surface, the contoured continents having an inner surface; and a phosphor coating applied on the inner surface of the contoured continents, the phosphor coating resulting in ethereal electrical arcing having a green color along the inner surface of the contoured continents.
- 11. The decorative light bulb of claim 10 wherein the outer surface and the plurality of contoured continents are formed of a colored, translucent glass bulb.
US Referenced Citations (4)