Abstract:
An aroma diffusing night lamp system having the characteristics of high heating performance, high level of safety and angle adjustability is disclosed to include a night lamp unit formed of a lamp socket holding a light emitting device, an electric plug rotatably coupled to the lamp socket and a safety lampshade surrounding the light emitting device, and an aroma diffuser unit formed of an electrically insulative heater holder, a heater carried in the electrically insulative heater holder and an outer lampshade that is mounted on the lamp socket around the safety lampshade and defines a top trough that holds an aromatic substance and has the bottom wall thereof kept in contact with the heater for enabling the aromatic substance to be heated into vapor safely.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/616,560, entitled “Aroma diffusing night lamp system”, filed on Nov. 11, 2009 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to scent releasing devices and more specifically, to an aroma diffusing night lamp system that combines a night lamp unit and an aroma diffuser unit together and that uses an angle-adjustable electric plug to obtain the necessary working power supply. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional night lamp does not allow adjustment of the angular position of the two parallel metal prongs of their electric plugs to fit different indoor installation requirements. 
     There are night lamps with an added aroma diffusing function. These night lamps combine an angle-adjustable night lamp unit and an aroma diffuser unit. When the night lamp unit of a night lamp is connected to a city power supply outlet, the radiating heat from the night lamp unit heats an aromatic substance, for example, essential oil in the aroma diffuser unit into vapor, providing a romantic atmosphere and enhancing the value of use of the night lamp. 
     Although conventional aroma diffusing night lamps allow adjustment of the installation angle of the night lamp unit, their angle-adjustable structure wear quickly with use or is difficult to adjust to the accurate angle. After installation, the applied essential oil may fall from the lampshade accidentally. 
     Further, regular aroma diffusing night lamps commonly use an incandescent lamp bulb to emit light and to heat the supplied aromatic substance. The heating efficiency of an incandescent lamp is low. Further, the aroma diffuser unit of a regular aroma diffusing night lamp is less stable. In consequence, a gap may be produced in the electric conducting structure, affecting the performance of electric conductivity. Further, regular aroma diffusing night lamps have no means to seal the electric conducting component parts. If the aromatic fluid leaks out, a short circuit accident may occur. 
     Further, the angle adjustment structures of conventional angle adjustable aroma diffusing nigh lamps are commonly not very stable. After adjustment of the desired angle, the aroma diffuser unit may be biased relative to the night lamp unit accidentally. 
     Further, some known aroma diffusing nigh lamps use a lampshade prepared from a light-transmissive heat-resisting hard material such as ceramic or glass. During installation, small retaining and/or fastening members are used to affix the lampshade in place. The use of these retaining and/or fastening members may cause the lampshade to break, shortening the night lamp lifespan and threatening user safety. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished to provide an aroma diffusing night lamp system with an angle-adjustable electric plug, which eliminates the drawbacks of the aforesaid prior art designs. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, an aroma diffusing night lamp system comprises a night lamp unit and an aroma diffuser unit. The night lamp unit comprises a lamp socket, a light emitting device mounted in the lamp socket, an electric plug coupled and rotatable relative to the lamp socket and adapted for electrically connecting the lamp socket to an external city power supply outlet, and a safety lampshade surrounding the light emitting device. The aroma diffuser unit comprises an electrically insulative heater holder mounted in the safety lampshade of the night lamp unit, a heater carried in thee electrically insulative heater holder and electrically connected to the electric socket of the night lamp unit by power wires and an outer lampshade mounted on the lamp socket and surrounding the safety lampshade. The outer lampshade defines a top trough for holding an aromatic substance. The top tough has the bottom wall thereof kept in contact with the heater and adapted for transferring heat energy from the heater to the aromatic substance carried in the top trough to heat the aromatic substance into vapor. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting device comprises at least one light emitting diode. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the heater is a cement resistor. 
     Further, the electric plug comprises an electric plug body having a cylindrical rear side, a gear wheel fixedly located on the cylindrical rear side of the electric plug body, a first gear wheel cover and a second gear wheel cover. The first gear wheel cover has two arched arms and an arched groove defined by the two arched arms thereof. The second gear wheel cover has two arched arms and an arched groove defined by the two arched arms thereof. The arched arms of the first gear wheel cover are respectively abutted against the arched arms of the second gear wheel cover around the cylindrical rear side of the electric plug body to keep the arched grooves of the first gear wheel cover and the second gear wheel cover in friction engagement with the gear wheel. 
     Further, the lamp socket comprises two socket shells fastened together and a damping spring leaf mounted in one socket shell for securing the gear wheel of the electric plug. One socket shell has a round hole for receiving a part of the gear wheel of the electric plug, and a locating groove formed in the round hole for receiving the damping spring leaf. The damping spring leaf is positioned in the locating groove and stopped against a part of the gear wheel of the electric plug. Further, the damping spring leaf has a W-shaped configuration and a protruding damping portion located on the middle part thereof. The locating groove in the round hole of one socket shell is configured to fit the W-shaped configuration of the damping spring leaf. 
     The aroma diffuser unit further comprises a first top cover, a second top cover and at least one elastic member. The first top cover has at least one vertically extending groove. The second top cover has at least one vertically extending groove. The first top cover and the second top cover are abutted together such that each vertically extending groove of the first top cover is coupled to one respective vertically extending groove of the second top cover to form one vertical through hole. The first top cover and the second top cover are mounted in between the safety lampshade of the night lamp unit and the electrically insulative heater holder of the aroma diffuser. The at least one elastic member is respectively inserted into the at least one vertical through hole in between the first top cover and the second top cover. The electrically insulative heater holder has at least one foot member extended from the bottom side thereof and inserted into the at least one vertical through holes in between the first top cover and the second top cover and supported on the at least one elastic member. 
     The night lamp unit further comprises a retainer mounted on the electric socket to secure the outer lampshade to the electric socket. The retainer has a bottom ring mounted on the top side of the electric socket and a plurality of retaining pawls upwardly extended from the bottom ring and equiangularly spaced from one another for securing the outer lampshade. 
     Further, each retaining pawl of the retainer has a hooked portion, a top slope located on the top side of the hooked portion and a recessed portion located on the bottom side of the hooked portion. 
     Further, the electric plug has a plurality of triangular retaining blocks equiangularly spaced around the cylindrical rear side thereof. The gear wheel is a gear ring, having a plurality of triangular retaining grooves equiangularly arranged on the inner diameter thereof and respectively forced into engagement with the triangular retaining blocks of the electric plug. 
     Thus, subject to the use of the cement resistor for heating the supplied aromatic substance into vapor directly, the invention achieves an excellent heating effect. Further, subject to the arrangement between the gear wheel and damping spring leaf, the adjustment of the angular position of the electric plug relative to the lamp socket is easy and accurate, avoiding damage. Further, subject to the use of the safety lampshade to enclose the light emitting device and the power wires, the invention assures a high level of safety. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of an aroma diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the aroma diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top view of the aroma diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic bottom view of the aroma diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of part aa of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line C-C of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of an alternate form of the aroma diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an aroma diffusing night lamp system with an angle-adjustable electric plug in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a night lamp unit  10  and an aroma diffuser unit  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2˜4 , the night lamp unit  10  comprises a lamp socket  11 , a light emitting device  12 , an electric plug  13  and a safety lampshade  14 . The light emitting device  12  is mounted in the lamp socket  11  and adapted to emit light through the safety lampshade  14 . The safety lampshade  14  surrounds the light emitting device  12 . The electric plug  13  is pivotally coupled to the lamp socket  11  and angularly adjustable relative to the lamp socket  11 . 
     Further, the electric plug  13  comprises an electric plug body  131 , a gear wheel  232  located on the cylindrical rear side of the electric plug body  131 , a first gear wheel cover  133  and a second gear wheel cover  134 . The first gear wheel cover  133  has two arched arms  1331 , defining an arched groove  1332 . The second gear wheel cover  134  has two arched arms  1341 , defining an arched groove  1342 . The arched arms  1331  of the first gear wheel cover  133  are respectively abutted against the arched arms  1341  of the second gear wheel cover  134  around the cylindrical rear side of the electric plug body  131  to keep the arched grooves  1332  and  1342  in friction engagement with the gear wheel  132 . Thus, the gear wheel  231  can be rotated with the electric plug body  131  relative to the first gear wheel cover  133  and the second gear wheel cover  134 . After rotation, the friction force between the gear wheel  231  and the first and second gear wheel covers  133  and  134  secures the gear wheel  132  and the electric plug body  131  to the first and second gear wheel covers  133  and  134  firmly in position. 
     The lamp socket  11  of the night lamp unit  10  comprises two symmetrical socket shells  111  and  112  and a power switch  113 . The safety lampshade  14  is fastened to the two symmetrical socket shells  111  and  112  at the top side. The two symmetrical socket shells  111  and  112  surround the light emitting device  12 , holding the light emitting device  12  firmly in position. The aroma diffusing night lamp keeps the light emitting device  12  and the power wires  19  and other connected electric components on the inside of the safety lampshade  14 , avoiding breaking of the outer lampshade and any possible accidental electric leakage due to accidental leakage of the applied aromatic substance or essential oil. The power switch  113  is installed in one socket shell  112  and exposed to the outside. After connection of the electric plug  13  to an external power source and pressing of the power switch  113 , the lamp socket  11  and light emitting device  12  of the night lamp unit  10  and the aroma diffuser unit  20  are electrically connected to emit light and to produce heat. On the contrary, when the user presses the power switch  113  again, the lamp socket  11  and light emitting device  12  of the night lamp unit  10  are electrically disconnected. The socket shell  111  has a round hole  115  for accommodating a part of the gear wheel  132  of the electric plug  13 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5˜7 , the lamp socket  11  further comprises a damping spring leaf  119  having, for example, a W-shaped configuration. The damping spring leaf  119  has a protruding damping portion  1192  on the middle. The socket shell  111  has a locating groove  1151  in the round hole  115  configured to fit the W-shaped configuration of the damping spring leaf  119 . After mounting of the damping spring leaf  119  in the locating groove  1151  inside the round hole  115 , the protruding damping portion  1192  of the damping spring leaf  119  is kept suspending in the round hole  115 . When the gear wheel  132  of the electric plug  13  is partially inserted into the round hole  115  of the socket shell  111 , the protruding damping portion  1192  of the damping spring leaf  119  is stopped against the toothed periphery of the gear wheel  132 , holding the gear wheel  132  in place and allowing rotation of the gear wheel  132  with the electric plug body  131  relative to the lamp socket  11  to adjust the angle of the electric plug  13 . Thus, the user can adjust the angle of the electric plug  13  relative to the electric socket  11  accurately. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 2  again, the aroma diffuser unit  20  comprises an electrically insulative heater holder  21 , a heater  22  and an outer lampshade  23 . The heater  21  according to the present preferred embodiment is a cement resistor. Further, the electrically insulative heater holder  21  according to the present preferred embodiment is made from a phenol-formaldehyde plastic material (bakelite). The electrically insulative heater holder  21  is capped on the safety lampshade  14  of the night lamp unit  10 . The outer lampshade  23  has its bottom side kept in contact with the heater  22 . The heater  22  is carried in the electrically insulative heater holder  21  and electrically connected to the electric plug  13  by the power wires  19  for heating the outer lampshade  23 . 
     According to the present preferred embodiment, the outer lampshade  23  of the aroma diffuser unit  20  has a shadow fluid trough  232  defined in the top side thereof, a bottom edge  234  located on the bottom side thereof and a through hole  236  cut through the center of the bottom edge  234 . The outer lampshade  23  is prepared from a light transmissive material. The through hole  236  on the bottom edge  234  of the outer lampshade  23  is coupled to the lamp socket  11  of the night lamp unit  10  around the safety lampshade  14 . The bottom wall of the shadow fluid trough  232  is kept in contact with the top wall of the heater  22 . An aromatic substance (such as essential oil, fragrant wax or the like) is put in the shadow fluid trough  232 . Thus, by means of using cement resistors as heat source means to heat the applied aromatic fluid instead of an incandescent lamp bulb, the invention provides a stable heating effect. According to the present preferred embodiment, the light emitting device  12  of the night lamp unit  10  uses LEDs (light emitting diodes) to emit light, meeting modern green safety codes. 
     The aroma diffuser unit  10  further comprises a first top cover  16 , a second top cover  17  and at least one, for example, two elastic members  222 . The elastic members  222  can be compression springs or rubber blocks. According to this embodiment, the elastic members  222  are compression springs. The first top cover  16  has a plurality of vertically extending grooves  161 . The second top cover  17  has a plurality of vertically extending grooves  171 . The first top cover  16  and the second top cover  17  are abutted together. Thus, vertically extending grooves  161  of the first top cover  16  are respectively coupled to the vertically extending grooves  171  of the second top cover  17 , forming vertical through holes  18 . The first top cover  16  and the second top cover  17  are mounted in between the safety lampshade  14  of the night lamp unit  10  and the electrically insulative heater holder  21  of the aroma diffuser  20 . The electrically insulative heater holder  21  has at least one, for example, two foot members  211  extended from the bottom side thereof. The spring members  222  are respectively inserted into the vertical through holes  18 . The foot members  211  of the electrically insulative heater holder  21  are respectively inserted into the vertical through holes  18  and supported on the spring members  222 . The spring members  222  impart an upward spring force to the electrically insulative heater holder  21 , thereby forcing the heater  22  against the bottom wall of the shadow fluid trough  232  of the outer lampshade  23 . Therefore, the heater  22  is constantly and stably kept in close contact with the bottom wall of the shadow fluid trough  232  of the outer lampshade  23 . 
     The night lamp unit  10  further comprises a retainer  15 . The retainer  15  has a bottom ring  151  and a plurality of retaining pawls  153 . The retainer  15  is mounted on the top side of the lamp socket  11  to secure the outer lampshade  23 . Each retaining pawl  153  has a hooked portion  1531  and a recessed portion  1533 . The hooked portion  1531  has a top slope  1535 . The bottom ring  151  defines therein an inner thread  1512 . Each of the socket shells  111  and  112  has an externally threaded top flange  116 . The inner thread  1512  of the retainer  15  is threaded onto the externally threaded top flanges  116  of the socket shells  111  and  112  of the lamp socket  11  such that an annular space  117  is defined between the externally threaded top flanges  116  of the socket shells  111  and  112  of the lamp socket  11  and the retaining pawls  153 . 
     When coupling the through hole  236  on the bottom edge  234  of the outer lampshade  23  to the lamp socket  11  of the night lamp unit  10  around the safety lampshade  14 , the periphery of the through hole  236  will be moved downwardly over the top slopes  1535  of the retaining pawls  153  of the retainer  15  to force retaining pawls  153  into the annular space  117  toward the externally threaded top flanges  116  of the socket shells  111  and  112  of the lamp socket  11  so that the through hole  236  on the bottom edge  234  of the outer lampshade  23  an be forced into engagement with the recessed portions  1533  of the retaining pawls  153 . The retaining pawls  153  are equiangularly arranged on the top side of the bottom ring  151  for evenly distributing the contact pressure when the bottom edge  234  of the ceramic or glass outer lampshade  23  is attached to the retainer  15  at the top side of the lamp socket  11 , avoiding concentration of shear stress or flexural shear stress on contact points between the outer lampshade  23  and the retainer  15 . 
     The aroma diffusing night lamp system with an angle-adjustable electric plug uses the safety lampshade  14  to shield the light emitting device  12 , the power wires  19  and other connected electric components, avoiding breaking of the outer lampshade  23  and any possible accidental electric leakage due to accidental leakage of the applied aromatic substance or essential oil. 
       FIG. 9  shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the cylindrical rear side of the electric plug body  131  of the electric plug  13  has a plurality of triangular retaining blocks  135  equiangularly spaced around the cylindrical rear side thereof. The gear wheel  135  is a gear ring, having a plurality of triangular retaining grooves  1321  equiangularly arranged on the inner diameter thereof and respectively forced into engagement with the triangular retaining blocks  135  of the electric plug body  131  of the electric plug  13 . After installation of the gear wheel  135  in the cylindrical rear side of the electric plug body  131  of the electric plug  13 , the electric plug  13  can then be fastened with the gear wheel covers  133  and  134  to the lamp socket  11  and then rotated relative to the lamp socket  11  to the desired angle. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.