Abstract:
A display lamp includes an electric light bulb disposed within a cylinder supported in a substantially vertical orientation. A light-transmitting container of water or other light-transmitting liquid is supported on the top of the cylinder. A dispenser of liquid is disposed above the container for dropping droplets of liquid onto the surface of the liquid in the container for disturbing it. The light shines through the vessel and the liquid and its disturbed surface and onto an associated display surface, such as an adjacent wall or ceiling, for producing thereon a visual wave pattern which moves in accordance with the disturbance of the liquid surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This application relates generally to decorative displays and, in particular, to displays incorporating light patterns. 
     It is known to provide decorative light displays by directing a light beam from a source to or through reflective and/or refractive elements. Some such systems have achieved a moving display by moving either the light beam or the reflective or refractive elements. It is also known to provide a decorative display by shining a light beam through a stationery body of liquid, which may or may not have moving elements, such as air bubbles, therein. All of these prior types of displays, however, are designed so that it is the look of the display apparatus itself, and not the resulting light pattern, that is of interest. 
     It is also known to provide displays involving shadow projection devices, wherein light rays from a source are projected through apertures or the like to project decorative shadows. 
     Another type of display has involved directing a light beam through a moving body of liquid to achieve a decorative moving light pattern. One such arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,174, which directs light through a liquid-containing cell, the cell being moved by a tilting mechanism. But this device is fairly complicated, requiring an electromechanical mechanism for moving the liquid cell. 
     SUMMARY 
     There are disclosed herein a display lamp and method which avoid the disadvantages of prior display devices and methods while affording additional structural and operating advantages. 
     An important aspect is the provision of a display apparatus which generates a visual wave pattern which moves in accordance with the disturbance of the surface of a body of liquid. 
     In connection with the foregoing aspect, another aspect is the provision of a display apparatus of the type set forth, which directs light through the liquid and its disturbed surface and onto a display surface. 
     Another feature is the provision of an apparatus of the type set forth which has no moving parts. 
     Another aspect is the provision of an apparatus of the type set forth which is of relatively simple and economical construction. 
     A still further aspect is the provision of a display method which involves directing light through the disturbed surface of a body of liquid. 
     Certain ones of these and other aspects may be achieved by providing a display apparatus comprising a light source, a vessel containing a supply of a light-transmitting liquid having a surface, a disturbance system for disturbing the liquid surface without disturbing the vessel, and a directing structure directing light from the source through the liquid and a liquid surface for producing on an adjacent display surface a visual wave pattern which moves in accordance with the disturbance of the liquid surface. 
     Others of these aspects may be achieved by providing a display apparatus of the type set forth, wherein the liquid surface is disturbed by dispensing thereonto disturbing bodies. 
     Still other aspects may be achieved by providing a method of producing a moving visual wave pattern on a display surface, comprising providing a vessel containing a supply of a light-transmitting liquid having a liquid surface, disturbing the liquid surface without disturbing the vessel and, while the liquid surface is being disturbed, directing a light beam through the liquid and the liquid surface and onto the display surface. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display system, illustrating the wave pattern generated thereby projected onto display surfaces; and 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of a display lamp of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a display system including a display lamp, generally designated by the numeral  10 , disposed on the floor  11  in a corner of a room having walls  12  and  13  and a ceiling  14 , which form display surfaces. The lamp  10  has a base  20  which, in the illustrated embodiment, is in the form of an inverted piston of an automotive internal combustion engine, and has an upstanding stem  21  provided at its upper end with a pair of laterally outwardly projecting arms  22  and  23 , respectively having upstanding posts  24  and  25  thereon. 
     Mounted on the base  20  is a light source assembly  30 , which may include a standard AC lamp socket  31  having a power cord  32  extending through a hollow, externally threaded rod  33  threaded into the bottom of the socket  31 . The rod  33  extends coaxially through a cylindrical brass collar  34  and has its lower end threaded by engaged with a retaining nut  35 . The distal end of the power cord  32  is provided with a standard plug  36  for plugging into a standard wall socket of a 110-VAC household supply. 
     The lamp  10  also includes a support  40 , which may be in the form of a standard lamp shade support, having an annular ring  41  with a plurality (two shown) of arms  42  connected thereto and extending upwardly therefrom. The arms  42  may be in the form of metal straps or bands, which are equiangularly spaced apart around the ring  41 , the arms  42  respectively having inturned shoulders  43  at their upper ends joined by an annular hub  44 , the arms  42  being respectively provided at their lower ends with outturned feet  45  which are secured, as by welding or the like, to the ring  41 . Disposed on the support  40  is a bulb protector  46 , which includes elongated curved arms  47  having inturned lower ends joined by an annular base  48 . 
     In assembly, the base  48  of the bulb protector  46  is seated on the shoulders  43  of the support arms  42 , with the hub  44  received through the opening in the bulb protector base  48 . The collar  34  is fitted over the rod  33 , and the cord  32  and the distal end of the rod  33  are then fitted downwardly through the annular hub  44  and the base  48  until the collar  34  is seated on the hub  44 . Then the nut  35  is fitted over the plug  36  and cord  32  and threaded onto the lower end of the rod  33  to clamp the assembled parts firmly together. The assembled light source assembly  30  and a support  40  are mounted onto the base  20  by means of clamps  49 , which respectively clamp the bulb protector arms  47  to the base posts  24  and  25 . 
     While, in the illustrated embodiment, the base  20  is in the form of an automotive piston, and the support  40  is in the form of a lamp shade support, it will be appreciated that any other type of base could be utilized, as long as it has a sufficient combination of weight and footprint diameter to afford stability, and any desired mechanism could be utilized to mount the light source assembly  30  on the base. 
     The lamp  10  also includes an elongated light-directing cylinder  50 , which may be formed of metal or any other material, and has a diameter such that it can be fitted down over the arms  47  of the bulb protector  46  and have its lower end seated on the feet  45  of the support  40 . Thus, the arms  47  protect the bulb  37  from contact with the cylinder  50  and also maintain the cylinder  50  in an upstanding, substantially vertical orientation spaced above the floor to permit air flow into the lower end of the cylinder  50 . The cylinder  50  may have circumferentially spaced slots  51  extending longitudinally into its upper end. The slots  51  provide vent openings and for dividing the upper end into a plurality of fingers  52 , which may have their upper ends flared outwardly to provide an enlarged support surface for supporting thereon a lens assembly  55 . More specifically, the lense assembly  55  includes a vessel  56 , such as a shallow bowl or dish, formed of a light-transmitting material, such as glass, plastic, or the like. Preferably, the vessel  56  is transparent to visible light, but may also be translucent. The vessel  57  has an open top  57  and contains therein a body of liquid  58  having an exposed surface  59 . The liquid  58  is also light-transmitting, preferably being substantially transparent to visible light. The liquid  58  may be water, or some other light-transmitting liquid. 
     The display system also includes a disturbance system which includes a dispenser  60  for disturbing the surface  59  of the liquid  58 . In the illustrated embodiment the dispenser  60  includes a support bracket  61 , which may be an angle bracket mounted on one of the walls  12  and  13 , and supports a container  62 , which contains a supply of liquid  63 . The liquid  63  may be the same as the liquid  58  in the vessel  56 , or may be some other liquid. Projecting downwardly from the container  62  is a wick  64  of a material of such that the liquid  63  will wick therealong. The bracket  61  is so positioned that droplets  65  of the liquid  63 , which form at and fall from the end of the wick  64 , will fall into the vessel  56  and onto the surface  59  of the liquid  58 , disturbing the surface by forming ripples or waves  66  therein. (FIG.  2 ). 
     In operation, light from the bulb  37  is directed upwardly by the cylinder  50  onto the bottom of the vessel  56 , the light passing through the vessel  56  and the body of water  58  and the surface  59  thereof to form a diverging display pattern  70 , which is projected onto the walls  12  and  13  and the ceiling  14 . The display pattern  70  has waves or ripples  71  therein which move in accordance with the movement of the ripples or waves  66  on the surface of the liquid  58 . Thus, the display pattern  70  is continually in motion, as long as the disturbing droplets  65  continue to drop onto the liquid surface  59 . Because the bottom of the cylinder  50  is open, a cone of light is also emitted therefrom onto the floor  11 , as at  72 . 
     While, in the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser  60  is mounted on a wall above the vessel  56 , it will be appreciated that it could also be mounted on the ceiling  14  or, alternatively, disposed in a recess (not shown) in the ceiling  14  so that it would not obstruct the display pattern  70 . Also, while a simple wick arrangement is illustrated for the dispenser  60 , it will be appreciated that other techniques could be utilized for forming droplets of liquid and dispensing them onto the liquid surface  59 . 
     While, in the illustrated embodiment, an AC electric light bulb  37  is used as the light source, it will be appreciated that other types of light sources could be used, and electrically powered sources could be battery-powered rather than AC-powered. 
     From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved decorative display system which is of simple and economical construction and includes an apparatus having no moving parts, but which can generate a moving display pattern for projection onto a display surface. 
     The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and/or described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims, when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.