Abstract:
An accent light includes a case body, a pair of spaced apart batteries connected to supply electrical power to an LED, and a contact bearing which is selectively insertable into and withdrawable from between the spaced apart batteries to complete an electrical circuit through the LED. A hook extends from the case body to support the accent light. The accent light may be used when submerged in water for a reasonable longevity despite the water surrounding the batteries.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to small light emitting devices, sometimes referred to as accent lights, that are typically used to illuminate and enhance arts and crafts, floral arrangements, and other decorative objects. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new and improved accent light and method of using the accent light which is easy to use, relatively inexpensive to purchase and produce, easy to operate and convenient to attach to a floral arrangement, decoration or other object for illuminating purposes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    The appearance of many arts and craft products, floral arrangements, art objects, arts and crafts and other similar decorative objects, referred to as “decorations” herein, is sometimes enhanced by the thoughtful placement of a small light source which projects light to illuminate all or a portion of the decorations. Such a light source is known as an accent light. The illumination of decorations with one or more thoughtfully placed accent lights can result in an appealing visual effect. 
         [0003]    A typical accent light uses a small light source such as a miniature light bulb or a light emitting diode (LED), one or more batteries, a housing or some other structure which contains the components, and some form of activation device which closes the electrical circuit between the batteries and the light source to initiate generation and projection of the light. LEDs are more advantageous for use than miniature light bulbs because LEDs are more easily powered by the batteries. LEDs may also be more reliable and useful in some environments in which accent lights are used. 
         [0004]    Currently available accent lights are relatively inexpensive in an overall sense, but when the size, appearance, utility and longevity of use of such devices are considered, the overall cost is regarded by many consumers as relatively expensive. This expense reflects a relatively high cost to manufacture these accent lights, arising principally from a relatively high cost to assemble components into the accent lights. The high cost of assembly results from the construction characteristics of the previous accent lights. 
         [0005]    One commercially available accent light includes a pair of disc-shaped batteries stacked on one another. Contact leads of an LED are soldered or welded to opposite surfaces of the battery stack. The batteries and the LED are held together by thermal shrink wrap material. A strip of electrically insulating paper initially separates the two batteries at the location where the battery surfaces are adjacent to one another. The accent light is turned on by pulling the strip of paper out from between the batteries and the shrink wrap material, which completes a electrical circuit between the batteries and through the LED, thus causing the LED to emit light. 
         [0006]    The assembly costs of this type of accent light are significant. Extra cost is involved in soldering or welding the leads of the LED to the batteries. Significant time is required to assemble the components in position, and to hold those assembled components while the shrink wrap material is shrunk around those components to permanently hold them in position. The appearance of the shrink wrap material around the components is not appealing from an artistic or visual standpoint, because the shrink wrap material covers and reveals the industrial shapes of the components used. Because of the lack of artistic or visual appeal, this type of accent light must usually be concealed from view in the decorations. Furthermore, the external shrink wrap covering provides no capability to assist in mounting or retaining the accent light at a desired location within the decorations. This accent light also lacks reusability since it is impossible to replace the batteries when discharged. Replacing the batteries involves destroying the shrink wrap covering, which would disassemble the components of the accent light to the point where they cannot be reassembled. It is also impossible to turn the light on and off, because once the device has been activated by removing the paper from between the batteries, there is no capability to reinsert the paper or to otherwise separate the batteries to open the electrical circuit. Thus, once activated, the device will continue to emit light until the batteries discharge. Furthermore, if the free end of the paper strip happens to be come torn off without removing the remaining portion of the paper strip which separates the batteries, there is no capability to thereafter activate the accent light, because there is no ability to remove the paper separating the batteries. When purchasing the accent light, the consumer has no capability to determine whether the paper strip will inadvertently tear loose from the remainder of the strip separating the batteries. 
         [0007]    While other accent lights may have somewhat different constructions and features, many of the above-described disadvantages are thought to be typical in the construction and use of previous accent lights. These and other considerations have led to the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    The present invention responds to the need for a more useful, relatively less expensive and more attractive accent light. The present accent light is organized and constructed to facilitate assembly in a relatively minimal amount of time, thereby reducing its cost. The present accent light is attractively shaped to allow the accent light to be used in many different decorative environments, without the need to conceal it, as is the case with previous unattractive accent lights. The accent light may be easily attached or connected to, or used with, a wide variety of decorations. The batteries within the accent light are replaceable, and the light can be repeatedly and selectively turned on and off when desired. The accent light may also be used when submerged in water environments to provide accent light in those circumstances. 
         [0009]    In accordance with these considerations, one aspect of the invention involves an accent light that includes a case body, an LED and two batteries positioned within an interior space of the case body. The batteries occupy a spaced apart relationship, in which each battery has spaced apart opposing surfaces of opposite polarity. One surface of each battery is in contact with a contact lead of the LED, and the other surfaces of each battery are spaced part from one another. A switch, which includes a contact bearing, is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The open position locates the contact bearing out of electrical contact with the spaced apart opposing surfaces of the batteries, and the closed position locates the contact bearing in electrical contact with the spaced apart and opposing surfaces of the batteries to complete an electrical circuit through the contact bearing, the batteries, and the leads of the LED, thereby illuminating the LED. 
         [0010]    Other aspects of the accent light involve projections within the case body which separate the batteries from one another and which maintain the battery surfaces in contact with the leads of the LED, separating the battery surfaces by a distance less than the transverse dimension of the contact bearing to assure that its insertion establishes a good electrical connection, a groove on the inside surface of the case body to receive a lead of the LED to maintain the lead in position in contact with each battery, a case cap connected to the case body and an elongated switch slide which extends through an opening in the case cap and which is slidable to insert and withdraw the contact bearing from between the spaced apart battery surfaces, a stop tang on the slide switch which prevents its movement unless selectively deflected by the user, a ring formed at an exterior end of the switch by which to support the accent light, a hook extending from the case body by which to support the accent light, and a retaining opening formed in the hook by which to support the accent light. 
         [0011]    Another aspect of the invention involves a method of activating an accent light having two spaced apart batteries which are connected to supply electrical power to an LED, the batteries each having exterior surfaces, one surface of each battery occupying a spaced apart opposing relationship with a surface of the other battery. The method involves selectively inserting a conductive contact bearing between the spaced apart opposing surfaces of the batteries to complete an electrical circuit through the batteries and conduct the electrical power to the LED, and selectively withdrawing the contact bearing from between the spaced apart opposing surfaces of the batteries to open the electrical circuit through the batteries and discontinue conducting electrical power to the LED. Other aspects of the method involve depressing a switch slide longitudinally into the case body to insert the contact bearing between the spaced apart opposing surfaces of the batteries, and extending the switch slide longitudinally from the case body to withdraw the contact bearing from between the spaced apart opposing surfaces of the batteries. 
         [0012]    One additional aspect of the invention involves a method of using an accent light of the type having two spaced apart batteries which are connected to supply electrical power to an LED. The batteries and the LED are connected to a case body which is not sealed. The method comprises submerging the accent light within water while the batteries supply electrical power sufficient to illuminate the LED, permitting water to enter the case body and surround the batteries and the LED while the batteries supply electrical power to the LED, and illuminating the LED from power supplied by the batteries for a predetermined amount of time greater than the amount of time that the batteries would supply electrical power if the batteries were electrically short-circuited. 
         [0013]    A more complete appreciation of the present invention and its scope may be obtained from the accompanying drawings, which are briefly summarized below, from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and from the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an accent light which embodies the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the accent light shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the accent light shown in  FIG. 1  taken parallel to a bell-shaped exterior surface of a housing of the accent light shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a transverse cross-sectional view of the accent light shown in  FIG. 1 , taken substantially in the plane of line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the accent light shown in  FIG. 1 , taken substantially in the plane of line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3 , with portions of a switch slide of the accent light removed for clarity, and showing the switch slide in an open position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5 , showing the switch slide moved to an intermediate position from the open position shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , showing the switch slide moved to a closed position from the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a schematic circuit diagram of an electrical circuit which is selectively established by moving the switch slide to the position shown in  FIG. 7 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a a partial, enlarged cross-sectional view of a contact bearing and a bore retaining the contact bearing, taken substantially in the plane of line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing examples of use of the accent light shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , in connection with a and a flower arrangement. 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing another example of use of the accent light shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , submerged within water. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]    An accent light  10  incorporating the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The accent light  10  has a case body  12  from which a light emitting diode (LED)  14  extends at one end. A case cap  16  is connected to the opposite end of the case body  12  from the LED  14 . The case cap  16  closes an interior space  18  defined by the case body  12 . A switch slide  20  extends through a rectangular opening  22  formed in the case cap  16 . The switch slide  20  is movable through the rectangular opening  22  from an extended position ( FIGS. 1 and 5 ) to a depressed position ( FIG. 7 ). Batteries  24  and  26  are retained within the interior space  18 . Leads  28  and  30  of the LED  14  contact the batteries  24  and  26 , respectively. A circularly-shaped and electrically-conductive contact bearing  32  is retained by and carried at an inner end of the switch slide  20 . 
         [0026]    When the switch slide  20  is depressed, the contact bearing  32  contacts the two batteries  26  and  28  and completes an electrical circuit between the batteries  26  and  28 . The completed electrical circuit is shown in  FIG. 8 . The electrical circuit conducts current from the batteries  26  and  28  to the LED  14  through the leads  28  and  30  and causes the LED  14  to emit light. Depressing the switch slide  20  into the case body  12  turns on the LED  14 , thus activating the accent light  10 . Pulling the switch slide  20  from the depressed position to the extended position turns off the LED  14 , thus deactivating the accent light  10 . Thus, the accent light  10  is selectively activated and selectively deactivated by depressing and withdrawing the switch slide  20 , as desired by the user. 
         [0027]    A hook  34  extends from the case body in a U-shaped configuration. The U-shaped hook  34  surrounds a space  36  into which a structure may be inserted to retain the accent light  10  in a desired position (e.g.,  FIG. 10 ). The hook  34  is slightly deformable to press firmly against the structure inserted into the space  36  between the hook  34  and the case body  12 . The accent light  10  can also be held in place or suspended by use of an opening  38  formed in the hook  34  and/or a ring  40  formed on the outer end of the switch slide  20 . A piece of string or other retainer is passed through the attachment opening  38  or through the ring  40  to hold the accent light  10  in a desired position. 
         [0028]    The case body  12  is preferably formed of injection molded plastic in a configuration which has two, flat, opposite and parallel-extending bell-shaped top and bottom sides  42  and  44 , respectively, which are separated by a constant-width sidewall  46  that is connected to the bell-shaped sides  42  and  44  at edges. 
         [0029]    An annular protrusion  48  extends from the case body  12  at a location which is opposite from the case cap  16 . The annular protrusion  48  defines a circular opening  50  into the interior space  18 . A lens portion  52  of the LED  14  extends through the circular opening  50 , as shown in FIGS.  3  and  5 - 7 . A base portion  53  of the LED  14 , which is connected to the lens portion  52 , abuts against a lip  54  of the annular protrusion  48  and prevents the LED  14  from moving out of the case body  12  through the circular opening  50 . 
         [0030]    The leads  28  and  30  from the LED  14  extend into grooves  55  and  56  which are formed in the inner surfaces of the bell-shaped side  42  and  44  which face the interior space  18 , respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The inner surfaces of the bell-shaped sides  42  and  44  also include ridges  58  and  60 , respectively. The ridges  58  and  60  extend parallel to the grooves  55  and  56  at a position laterally spaced to the outside on opposite sides of the grooves  55  and  56 . Ledges  62  and  64  both extend into the interior space  18  from opposite interior surfaces of the sidewall  46 . The ledges  62  and  64  support the batteries  24  and  26 , respectively. When the batteries  24  and  26  are inserted within the interior space  18  of the case body  12 , the ledge  62  contacts the lower surface of the battery  24  while the ridges  58  contact the upper surface of the battery  24 . Similarly, the ledge  64  contacts the upper surface of the battery  26  and the ridges  60  contact the lower surface of the battery  26 . The vertical clearance between the ridges  58  and  60  and the ledges  62  and  64  is slightly less than the vertical thickness of the batteries  24  and  26 , respectively, between their upper and lower surfaces. The slight difference in vertical clearance slightly deforms the case body  12  to create a retention force to maintain the batteries in position when inserted into the interior space  18 . 
         [0031]    In addition, the retention of the batteries  24  and  26  simultaneously establishes and maintains an electrical connection between the batteries  24  and  26  and the leads  28  and  30  of the LED  14  located in the grooves  55  and  56 . The vertical clearance space between the upper surface of the battery  24  and the deepest portion of the groove  55 , and the vertical clearance space between the lower surface of the battery  26  and the deepest portion of the groove  56 , is each slightly less than the diameter or thickness of the leads  28  and  30 . As a consequence, a retention force is established between the upper surface of the battery  24  and the lead  28  in the groove  55  and between the lower surface of the battery  26  and the lead  30  in the groove  56 . Again the retention force is due to a slight deformation of the case body  12  resulting from the described physical dimensions. This retention force maintains a good continuous electrical contact connection between the leads  28  and  30  and the batteries  24  and  26  without necessity for soldering or welding the leads  28  and  30  to the surfaces of the batteries  24  and  26 . The retention of the LED leads  28  and  30  in the grooves  55  and  56  also holds the LED  14  in position within the circular opening  50  of the annular protrusion  48  without the need of any further retaining structure or adhesive. 
         [0032]    The top and bottom portions or surfaces of each battery  24  and  26  constitute an electrical contact of respectively opposite polarity. The lead  28  contacts the top surface (as shown) of the battery  24  having one polarity, and the lead  30  contacts the bottom surface (as shown) of the battery  26  having the opposite polarity ( FIGS. 4-8 ). To avoid any possibility that one or both the leads  28  and  30  might bend into contact with both portions of one or both batteries  24  and  26 , respectively, and thereby short-circuit the batteries  24  and  26  by such unintentional contact, a small strip of electrical insulation tape (not shown) may be applied to the bottom surface of the battery  24  beneath the lead  28  and to the top surface or portion of the battery  26  above the lead  30 . Located in this manner, the electrical insulation tape prevents the leads  28  and  30  from contacting the unintended surface or portion of each of the batteries  24  and  26 . 
         [0033]    The case cap  16  is attached to the case body  12  after the LED  14  and the batteries  24  and  26  have been inserted and retained within the interior space  18 . Tabs  66  and  68 , which extend from opposite sides of the case cap  16 , snap fit into tab openings  70  and  72 , respectively, each of which is formed on the sidewall  46  on opposite sides of the interior space  18 . The connection of the tabs  66  and  68  into the tab openings  70  and  72  firmly retains the case  16  to the case body  12 . However, if it is desired to remove the case cap  16 , for example to replace the batteries  24  and  26 , the tabs  66  and  68  can be depressed out of the tab openings  70  and  72  to allow the case cap  16  to be removed. 
         [0034]    The case cap  16  also includes slide guides  74  and  76 . The slide guides  74  and  76  define a movement path for the switch slide  20 . The slide guides  74  and  76  extend from the interior surface of the case cap  16  into the interior space  18  on opposite sides of the rectangular opening  22 . The slide guides  74  and  76  contact and partially encircle the transverse outer edges of the switch slide  20  to confine its movement along a path which projects between the vertically separated batteries  24  and  26  within the case body  16 . The movement path of the switch slide  20  established by the slide guides  74  and  76  is generally parallel to the lower surface of the battery  24  and the upper surface of the battery  26 . The slide guides  74  and  76  shield the bearing  32  from inadvertent contact with the batteries  24  and  26  when the switch slide  20  is in the open position ( FIG. 5 ). The slide guides  74  and  76  also abut against the edges of the batteries  24  and  26  to retain and maintain the batteries  24  and  26  in a forward position within the case body  12  ( FIGS. 5-7 ). 
         [0035]    The inner end of the switch slide  20  includes a bore  78  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5 - 7  and  9 ) which retains the contact bearing  32 . The sidewall of the bore  78  is formed concavely into the switch slide  20 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , and this concavity retains the contact bearing  32  within the bore  78 . The diameter of the bore  78  and the contact bearing  32  are approximately the same which allows the contact bearing  32  to be press-fitted into the bearing bore  78  while being held by the concave side walls of the bore  78 . In this manner, the contact bearing  32  is permanently maintained in the bore  78  and connected to the switch slide  20 . 
         [0036]    The switch slide  20  is inserted into the rectangular opening  22  in the case cap  16 , and then the contact bearing  32  is pressed into the bore  78 . The diameter of the contact bearing  32  is larger than the narrowest transverse dimension of the rectangular opening  22 . Any attempt to withdraw the inner end of switch slide  20  from the rectangular opening  22  is prevented, because the contact bearing  32  contacts the case cap  16  around the rectangular opening  22  when the switch slide  20  moves outward. 
         [0037]    At the outer end of the switch slide  20  is a switch cap  80  which is slightly wider than the rectangular opening  22  in the case cap  16 . The switch cap  80  prevents the switch slide  20  from being pushed completely within the interior space  18  of the case body  12  when the switch cap  80  comes in contact with the case cap  16 . 
         [0038]    The switch slide  20  is prevented from inadvertently moving from the extended position ( FIGS. 1 and 5 ) to the depressed position ( FIG. 7 ) due to a stop tang  82  formed as a part of the switch slide  20 . The stop tang  82  normally deflects laterally from the switch slide  20  a sufficient distance to abut a forward edge  84  of the stop tang  82  against the case cap  16  ( FIG. 5 ), when the switch slide  20  is attempted to be depressed towards the interior space  18  of the case body  12  from the extended position ( FIG. 5 ). In order to depress the switch slide  20  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ), the stop tang  82  is deflected toward the plane of the switch slide  20  a sufficient amount so that the forward edge  84  of the stop tang  82  fits within the rectangular opening  22  of the case cap  16 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Once the forward edge  84  of the stop tang  82  has cleared the rectangular opening  22  in the case cap  16 , force on the stop tang  82  is no longer required to continue to depress the switch slide  20 . The user applies finger pressure to the stop tang  82  to deflect it when the user wishes to activate the accent light  10 . To increase the strength of the stop tang  82  and increase the amount of finger pressure required to depress it, a gusset  85  or similar structure is added to the stop tang  82  where the stop tang  82  intersects with the switch slide  20  ( FIGS. 3 ,  5 - 7 ). 
         [0039]    As the switch slide  20  is depressed from the extended position shown in  FIG. 5  to the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 6 , the contact bearing  32  comes into physical contact with the lower surface of battery  24  and the upper surface of battery  26 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The diameter of the contact bearing  32  is slightly greater than the distance between the lower surface of battery  24  and the upper surface of battery  26 , when the contact bearing  32  is not in contact with the batteries  24  and  26 . Continued movement of the switch slide  20  from the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 6  to the depressed position shown in  FIG. 7  forces the contact bearing  32  between the batteries  24  and  26  and slightly separates the batteries to establish a good electrical connection between the two batteries through the contact bearing  32 . The bell-shaped sides  42  and  44  of the case body  12  deform slightly as the contact bearing  32  is inserted between the batteries, due to the battery  24  pushing upward against the ridges  58  and the LED lead  28  in the groove  55  ( FIG. 4 ) while the battery  26  presses downward against the ridges  60  and the LED lead  30  in the groove  56  ( FIG. 4 ). The force caused by slightly forcing the batteries  24  and  26  apart creates enough static friction on the contact bearing  32  to ensure that the switch slide  20  does not inadvertently move out of the depressed position shown in  FIG. 7  without manual force applied by the user to the ring  40  of the switch slide  20 . 
         [0040]    When the contact bearing  32  is in physical contact with the batteries  26 , a complete circuit is created through the contact bearing  32 , the batteries  26 , and the LED  14  ( FIG. 8 ). The batteries  24  and  26  are positioned within the case body  12  such that the polarity of the batteries  26  is additive when the contact bearing  32  connects the batteries  24  and  26  in series. For example as shown in  FIG. 8 , the contact bearing  32  contacts the lower side of the battery  24 , which could be its negative terminal, and also contacts the upper side of battery  26 , which could be its positive terminal; and the upper side or positive terminal of the battery  24  is connected to the LED lead  28  and the lower side or negative terminal of the battery  26  is connected to the LED lead  30 . The additive polarity of the batteries  24  and  26  from this series connection ensures appropriate voltage for operating the LED  14 . 
         [0041]    The structural features of the accent light  10  facilitate its easy and relatively inexpensive assembly. The LED  14  is first inserted into the interior space  18  of the case body  12  until its base portion  53  contacts the lip  54  of the annular protrusion  48 . The leads  28  and  30  of the LED  14  are next positioned in the grooves  55  and  56 . The batteries  24  and  26  are then inserted into the case body  12  with the desired orientation to achieve series electrical polarity. Insertion of the batteries retains the LED  14  in place because of contact with the leads  28  and  30  and simultaneously establishes a good electrical connection between the leads  28  and  30  and the batteries  24  and  26 . The switch slide  20  is then inserted in the rectangular opening  22  of the case cap  16 . The contact bearing  32  is then press fitted into the bore  78  to permanently retain the switch slide  20  to the case cap  16 . The assembled case cap  16  and switch slide  20  are then attached to the case body  12  by pressing the tabs  66  and  68  into the tab openings  70  and  72 . 
         [0042]    The accent light  10  thus assembled has a myriad of different uses. Exemplary uses are shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , an accent light  10  is connected to an upper open edge  86  which defines a mouth of a vase  88 . A flower arrangement  90  is positioned within the vase  88 . Water  92  for the flower arrangement  90  is in the bottom of the vase  88 . Light from the energized LED  14  shines downward on the water  92  and within the vase  88  to create a visual accent that highlights the appearance of the flower arrangement  90  and vase  88 . Another accent light  10  is attached to the flower arrangement  90  itself, as is also shown in  FIG. 10 . The hook  34  ( FIG. 1 ) connects the accent light  10  to a stem of one of the flowers of the arrangement  90 , for example. 
         [0043]    Another exemplary use is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . The accent light  10  is submerged in water  94  within a vase  96 . The accent light  10  may be concealed within art objects, such as marbles  98 , also submerged within the water  94 , or the accent light can be used by itself within the water  94  in the vase  96 . The light from the activated accent light  10  illuminates the water within the vase  96  and highlights the appearance of the vase  96  and its marbles  98 . 
         [0044]    It has been discovered that the accent light  10  will function adequately even when submerged in water, and even though the case body  12  is not watertight. Although the reasons for such functionality are not completely understood, the water within the space between the batteries  24  and  26  does not appear to significantly short-circuit the current flow through the leads  28  and  30  to the LED  14 . Some current flow does apparently leak through the water, because the normal lifetime of use of the accent light  10  in water is about two-thirds of the normal lifetime of use when the accent light  10  is used in an air environment. 
         [0045]    A number of significant advantages and improvements are available from the accent light  10 . The accent light  10  has a structure which significantly facilitates its assembly. The accent light  10  can be assembled in about 20-30 seconds, thereby reducing its manufacturing costs. The reduced assembly results in lower manufacturing costs, which in turn should result in less cost to the consumer. The case body  12 , the case cap  16 , and the switch slide  20  are preferably formed by plastic injection molding. Plastic injection molding permits mass production of precise parts at a minimal cost. The LED  14 , the batteries  24  and  26  and the contact bearing  32  are all commercially available components which are relatively inexpensive to purchase in mass quantities. The accent light  10  can be selectively activated and deactivated by moving the switch slide  20  between the closed and open positions, thereby allowing the user to activate the accent light  10  when desired and to deactivate the accent light when it is no longer desired for use. Using the accent light  10  only when desired has the beneficial effect of prolonging its usable lifetime before the electrical energy from the batteries  24  and  26  is depleted. The batteries  24  and  26  are also replaceable when depleted, by removing the case cap  16  to gain access to the batteries  24  and  26 . In a similar manner, the LED  14  is also replaceable, but the typical LED  14  has a very long usable lifetime and will not normally require replacement. 
         [0046]    The accent light  10  can also be used in an activated condition when submerged under water. A submersible operative capability increases the number of potential uses beyond those only in an air environment. The accent light  10  is easily attached to decorations by use of the hook  34 , the opening  38  in the hook  34 , and the ring  40  in the switch slide  20 . Great versatility for using the accent light  10  results from its features, leading to many opportunities for new and unusual visual accents and effects. These and other improvements and advantages will be more apparent after fully comprehending the aspects of the present invention. 
         [0047]    A presently preferred embodiment of the invention and many of its improvements have been described above with a degree of particularity. The particularly of this description is to facilitate a complete understanding of a preferred example of the invention, and is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.