Patent Application
20180142844
The invention relates to a light emitting device which allows control of the illumination without electrical intervention by a person observing Shabbat (Sabbath) orthodox Jewish law. More specifically, full illumination can be adjusted downwardly by a purely mechanical gear mediated manipulation without touching the power or light source of the device.
Shabbat observant Jews may not turn on or off electrical switches or electrical devices and appliances from sundown Friday until after sunset on the following Saturday. This prohibition often forces a Shabbat observant family to leave some lights on during this period. These lights can be disturbing to some family members, most particularly those wishing to retire and go to sleep.
Automatic electric timers are widely used by these families to control the period of illumination. Among the disadvantages of the electric timers is that they need to be set up prior to Shabbat and that they cannot be adjusted during that day without violating religious prohibitions.
Currently there is a commercial light fixture for sale known as the KOSHER LAMP distributed by the Kosher Innovations Company and described in US Patent Publication Application No. 2005/0036322A1 titled “Lamp”, invented by Samuel C. Veffer, filed Jul. 28, 2004. Therein is described a standalone lighting fixture that accepts a standard incandescent or CFL bulb or fluorescent device that remains on at all times. Light is released or blocked from entering a space or room by manually rotating a cylinder cover having a single small opening. The cylinder cover with opening revolves around the bulb or device for control of illumination.
There are several disadvantages to the KOSHER LAMP product. Firstly, the product is not bright enough for certain applications because only a small portion of light exits from the small opening in a limited projection. This constraint engenders eye strain on users of the lamp when reading because of the lack of brightness. Secondly, the KOSHER LAMP architecture consigns placement on a flat table top and cannot easily be adapted to a wall or ceiling. The product is simply not suitable for multiple mounting positions. Finally, the product has limited light beam coverage with difficulty in placing light simultaneously in many directions. The present invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and provides many other advantages.
Other documents which may have relevance to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,695 (Bentsen). Therein described is a night light fitted with a shading shield mechanically adjustable via a manual control knob outside a housing for the night light.
Another document is US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0128493 A1 (Osaki et al). Therein is described an illumination device employing a semiconductor light emitting element or diode (LED), a variable color fluorescent-substance unit and, cooperating therewith, a dimming unit. Neither structural features nor purpose of the dimming unit are directed at achieving a total blackout.
A still further document is U.S. Pat. No. 7,736,025 (Hofmann et al). Described therein is a device including an illumination source and a mechanical dimming device, the latter being an array of partially overlapping blades covering an optical passageway.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,562 (McGrann et al) reports a slit lamp for an ophthalmological instrument. Among features of the lamp is a single knob for varying slit width to adjust light intensity.
Finally, US Patent Application No. 2016/0186962 A1 (Kohn et al) describes a Shabbat bulb with a blackout mechanism on/off switchable by a slideable arm projecting outward from a slot along a periphery of the bulb. The switching mechanism suffers from several disadvantages. In practice we found the sliding movement of the arm tends to cause the separateable blackout mechanism to break apart from the electrical LED light source.
The present invention relates to a combination light source and light interrupter, herein referred to as a blackout mechanism, which passes (open position), interrupts (intermediate positions) or fully blocks (closed position) the flow of light from the light source into a space or room that would otherwise be illuminated by the light source. The blackout mechanism does not directly touch any part of the light source or any of its associated electrical activation parts. The light source remains on at all times. Within these times the blackout mechanism may be manually operated by a user to pass or block out the light from the light source into a space or room.
The subject invention reduces the inconvenience caused by a light fixture that remains electrically turned on by providing a combination light source and blackout mechanism that is suitable for reading or other purposes. It is easily and conveniently adapted to selectively provide light in any lighting fixture or light socket that will accept the combination of light source and blackout mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention, a light adjustable Shabbat bulb is provided which allows control of illumination without electrical intervention by a person observing strictures of Shabbat orthodox Jewish law, the bulb including:
obtaining a Shabbat bulb which includes:
inserting the bulb into a power delivery fixture and generating an illumination; and
moving the arm from the open to the closed position on Shabbat by a person observing orthodox Jewish law.
The blackout mechanism is secured to the light source via a coupling mechanism. Most embodiments will have complementary interacting coupling mechanisms on both the light source and on the blackout mechanism. These complementary mechanisms may be male interacting with female devices. Suitable coupling mechanisms may be threaded, press-in, snap-in, twist-in, or lock-in couplings. Electricity supply to the light source is generally through a light socket of a lamp which then receives energy through connection to a power cord inserted into an AC wall outlet. Battery power may also be used to energize as a replacement for AC wall outlet power.
The invention may utilize a shutter disc with more than one disc aperture. The number of disc apertures may range from 1 to 50, more advantageously from 2 to 20, particularly from 3 to 10, and especially 6 disc apertures. In a light transmitting open position, there may be multiple light sources arranged within the housing. Particularly, the number of light sources (eg LEDs) are of equal number to the disc apertures. For instance, where there are 6 disc apertures, there will be three separate light sources each centered below one of the 6 disc apertures. Most suitable for this embodiment are multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) or organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). These diodes may be positioned on a circuit board supported in the housing. Preferably the diodes are equidistantly spaced (e.g. 120 degrees apart for a 3 diode set, and 60 degrees apart for a 6 diode set) on a surface of the circuit board. Advantageously, the disc apertures may have conically tapered bores along the disc aperture passageway.
Further aspects, features and advantages of the Shabbat Bulb will become more readily apparent from consideration of the following appended figures in which:
Adjacent the power connecting end is a screw thread 12 suitable for threaded connection into an electrical socket such as, but not limited to, a candelabra, GU24, bi-pin or other socket base. Housing 2 may advantageously have an E26 or A19 medium screw thread base which has wide compatibility with sockets.
Particularly useful light sources are LED lamps including discrete axial lead LEDs, surface mount LED, and LED dies with integral lenses. A driver (not shown) within the housing powers the LED. Alternatively, the light source may be a compact fluorescent source, an OLED, an electroluminescent source (EL), or incandescent filament.
Diffusion lens 6 may be formed of clear or frosted glass or plastic material. The lens surface may be smooth, faceted or textured dependent on the desired light beam dispersion and coverage.
Next in the blackout assembly is a shutter disc 20 featuring along an outer circumference a set of crown gear teeth 22. Other embodiments may utilize crown gear teeth only partially surrounding the outer circumference. Advantageously, the crown gear teeth and shutter disc may be a single component molded or stamped together. For instance, the crown gear teeth and shutter disc may be formed as a unitary molded plastic part or a unitary stamped metal part.
Arm 24 projects radially outward from the shutter disc. On the outermost end as best shown in
The blackout mechanism further includes an outer ring 30. An opening 31 is formed on a periphery of the outer ring through which can protrude a part of the arm. Assembled the shutter disc is supported between the outer and inner rings.
For purposes of description herein, singular terminology is meant to incorporate plural equivalents, except where otherwise noted. For instance, ‘light source’ is meant to include multiple ‘light sources’ such as several LEDs.
Although the invention has been described in accordance with certain embodiments, it will be seen by those skilled in the art that many modifications can be made within the scope and purview of the invention, and there is no intention to limit the invention solely to these embodiments. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be measured by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62425997 | Nov 2016 | US |
