Abstract:
A novelty item that spins at least one length of electroluminescent wire to produce a circular pattern of light. The device has at least one length of electroluminescent wire that radially extends from a rotating hub. Each length of electroluminescent wire may hang free or may be supported by a flexible arm that also extends from the rotating hub. When the hub rotates, the various lengths of electroluminescent light rotate about the hub in a circular pathway. This produces what appears to be an illuminated spinning disk of light.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/364,468, entitled Illuminated Device Containing Spinning Electroluminescent Wire, filed Mar. 14, 2002. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/188,821, entitled Spinning Illuminated Novelty Device With Synchronized Light Sources, which was filed Jul. 5, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to illuminated novelty devices that spin and are used to produce observable patterns of light during low light conditions. More particularly, the present invention relates to such novelty devices where illuminated arms spin about a central hub.  
           [0004]    2. Prior Art Statement  
           [0005]    In the prior art, there are many different types of illuminated novelty devices that produce an observable pattern of light. Such devices are not used for the purposes of illumination, like a flashlight. Rather, such novelty devices are merely used to produce an interesting pattern of light that can be observed during low light conditions. Such novelty devices are commonly sold or distributed at events that are frequented by children and where there are low light conditions. Examples of such events include children&#39;s concerts, the circus, amusement parks at night, fireworks displays and the like.  
           [0006]    There is a great variety in the types of illuminated novelty devices that exist. Some illuminated novelty devices use chemical luminescent light sources, where the observed light is created from a chemical reaction. Such chemical luminescent devices, however, cannot be selectively turned on and off once the chemical reaction has started. Furthermore, after a few hours, the chemical reaction ends and the novelty device is incapable of producing light. Furthermore, most chemical compositions used to produce light are toxic. Accordingly, the use of chemical luminescent novelty devices is inappropriate for many young children who may bite or teethe on the device.  
           [0007]    Other types of illuminated novelty devices use batteries to provide power to either incandescent bulbs or light emitting diodes (LEDs). Often, to increase the interest of the pattern of light produced by the device, motors are used to move the electric light sources when they are illuminated. One popular type of illuminated novelty device is a device where multiple electric light sources are positioned on the tips of narrow flexible arms. The flexible arms are attached to a hub that is supported by a handle. In the handle is a motor that spins the hub when activated. As such, when a user activates the motor, the hub spins and the lights at the ends of the arms illuminate. The result is a circular pattern of light that is interesting to observe especially in low light conditions.  
           [0008]    A problem associated with spinning electric novelty devices is that when LEDs are used, the LEDs only create a point of light. When the LED is positioned on a rotating arm, the spinning LED creates a narrow circle of light. If multiple LEDs are used on spinning arms, the LEDs create concentric circles of light. As such, the spinning arms are not completely or evenly illuminated by the LEDs.  
           [0009]    A need therefore exists for a spinning novelty light that produces an even illumination along the length of spinning arm. In this manner, an evenly illuminated disk of light is created by the spinning arms. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention is a novelty item that spins at least one length of electroluminescent wire to produce a circular pattern of light. The device has at least one length of electroluminescent wire that radially extends from a rotating hub. Each length of electroluminescent wire may hang free or may be supported by a flexible arm that also extends from the rotating hub. When the hub rotates, the various lengths of electroluminescent light rotate about the hub in a circular pathway. This produces what appears to be an illuminated spinning disk of light. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of the invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a selectively cross-sectioned view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is an alternate embodiment of the arm element of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is another alternate embodiment of the arm element of the invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a schematic of the electronic features of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention device  10  is show. The device  10  contains a handle  12 . The handle  12  supports a hub  14 . Arms  16  radially extend from the hub  14 . In the shown embodiment, three arms  16  extend from the hub  14 . However, it should be understood that such a number is arbitrary and any number of arms  16  can be made to radially extend from the hub  14 .  
         [0018]    The arms  14  are comprised in whole, or in part, of electroluminescent wire. Electroluminescent wire is sometimes referred to as EL wire in the field of electronic illumination. When the electroluminescent wire is powered with a small current of electricity, the electroluminescent wire emits light along its length. The color of the light emitted depends upon the internal composition of the electroluminescent wire. The most common types of electroluminescent wire that are commercially available emit green, blue or yellow light. The structure of one type of appropriate electroluminescent wire is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,930 to Baumberg, entitled Electroluminescent Light source with A Mixture Layer Filled with A Transparent Filler Substance, the disclosure of which is incorporated into this specification by reference.  
         [0019]    Safety terminations  18  are coupled to the ends of the arms  16 . The safety terminations  18  are enlarged objects and/or soft objects that would not cause harm if inadvertently brought into contact with the eyes or face. The safety terminations  18  can be either transparent or opaque. If transparent, light from the electroluminescent wire can be used to internally light the safety terminations  18 .  
         [0020]    The hub  14  rotates relative the handle  12 . Accordingly, as the hub  14  rotates, the arms  16  extending from the hub  14  also rotate. As the hub  14  and arms  16  spin, current is directed to the electroluminescent wires in the arms  16 . Consequently, the arms  16  illuminate along their length as they spin, thereby creating a spinning disk of light where the radius of the spinning disk outside the hub  14  is equal to the length of electroluminescent wire used.  
         [0021]    Referring To FIG. 2, it can be seen that in the housing  12 , there is a port  20  for holding batteries  22 . The power from the batteries  22  is used to both illuminate the electroluminescent wires on the arms  16  and rotate the hub  14 .  
         [0022]    The hub  14  is connected to a shaft assembly  24  that extends upwardly from the housing  12 . The shaft assembly  24  contains a conductive inner shaft  26  and a conductive outer shaft  28 . The inner shaft  26  and the outer shaft  28  are insulated from each other using spacers  30  that are disposed in between the inner shaft  26  and the outer shaft  28 . The spacers  30  also act as bearings between the inner shaft  26  and the outer shaft  28 . As such, the outer shaft  28  is free to rotate independently of the inner shaft  26 .  
         [0023]    In the hub  14 , there is located a first connector  32  that spins around the inner shaft  26  and makes electrical contact with the inner shaft  26 . In the hub  14  is also located a second connector  34 . The second connector  34  is coupled to both the structure of the hub  14  and the outer shaft  28 . Two leads extend from each electroluminescent wire used in the arms  16 . One lead from every electroluminescent wire is coupled to the inner shaft  26 , via the first connector  31 . Similarly, the second wire from each electroluminescent wire is coupled to the outer shaft  28 , via the second connector  34 .  
         [0024]    The inner shaft  26  is coupled to the battery port  20  utilizing a wire pathway  38 . The wire pathway  38  is disrupted by an on/off switch  40  that can be manually activated by a person holding the housing  12 . Accordingly, a person holding the housing  12  can selectively control the on/off switch  40  and therefore can control the flow of electrical power to the inner shaft  26 .  
         [0025]    The opposite terminal of the battery port  20  is coupled to a wiping contact  42 . The wiping contact  42  presses against the outer shaft  28  of the shaft assembly  24 . Accordingly, when the on/off switch  40  is manually closed a circuit is completed. The circuit starts at one terminal of the battery port  20  and then travels through the inner shaft  26  up to the electroluminescent wires. The circuit then returns to the opposite battery port terminal from the electroluminescent wires through the outer shaft  28 , via the wiping contact  42 . It should therefore be understood that each time the on/off switch  40  is pressed closed, the electroluminescent wires will illuminate.  
         [0026]    A drive gear  44  is disposed around the inner shaft  26 . However, the drive gear  44  is not attached to the inner shaft  26  and spins freely about the inner shaft  26 . The drive gear  44  has a protrusion  46  that engages the spacer  30  between the inner shaft  26  and the outer shaft  28 . Accordingly, when the drive gear  44  spins, the drive gear  44  turns the spacer  30 , thereby turning the outer shaft  28 . The outer shaft  28  is connected to the hub  14 . Consequently, when the outer shaft  28  spins, the hub  14  spins. However, the connection between the gear hub  14  and the spacer  30  is only a fiction connection. Accordingly, should the hub  14  be prevented from spinning by contact with a foreign object, the drive gear  44  will still spin independently of the spacer  30 . This friction interconnection acts as a clutch and prevents the drive gear  44  from becoming damaged should the spinning hub  14  ever suddenly strike an object and stop spinning.  
         [0027]    The drive gear  44  is turned by a pinion gear  48 . The pinion gear  48  is directly turned by the electric motor  50 . Accordingly, when the electric motor  50  is activated, the motor  50  turns the pinion gear  48 , that turns the drive gear  44 , that turns the outer shaft  28 , that turns the hub  14 , that turns the arms  16 .  
         [0028]    The wire pathway that connects the electric motor  50  to the battery port  20  also passes through the on/off switch  40 . Consequently, when the on/off switch  40  is pressed, power is supplied to the electroluminescent wires that extend from the hub  14  and power is supplied to the motor  50  that turns the hub  14 .  
         [0029]    In the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the arms  16  that extend from the hub  14  are made from electroluminescent wire. Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the arms that extend from the hub can contain structural elements other than electroluminescent wire. In FIG. 3, a translucent flexible arm element  60  is provided. Electroluminescent wire  62  is disposed within the flexible arm  60 . Accordingly, when the electroluminescent wire  62  is powered, the electroluminescent wire  62  internally illuminates the flexible arm element  60 .  
         [0030]    Referring to FIG. 4, electroluminescent wire  70  is wrapped around the exterior of a flexible arm element  72  in a helical pattern. When the electroluminescent wire  70  is powered, the helical pattern of the electroluminescent wire  70  becomes highly visible on the flexible arm element  72 , thereby creating an aesthetically pleasing rotating display.  
         [0031]    In the embodiment of the present invention previously described, the electroluminescent wire is illuminated when the on/off switch is pressed and remains illuminated until the on/off switch is released. This mode of operation is merely exemplary and it should be understood that modes of operation that flash the electroluminescent wires can be used. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, an embodiment of the present invention is shown where the control circuit  80  is placed between the on/off switch  40  and the electroluminescent wires  82 . The control circuit  80  can light the various electroluminescent wires  82  in any flash pattern or sequence. Accordingly, different electroluminescent wires  82  can be illuminated at different times. This will enable the electroluminescent wires  82  to produce more interesting light patterns as they spin around.  
         [0032]    It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated are merely exemplary and the shown embodiments can be modified in many ways. For example, the number of arms and the position of the arms can be varied in any manner by a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, the shape of the arms, the hub and the handle can be varied. All such alternate embodiments and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims as listed below.