Night light assembly

A night light assembly which plugs directly into an electrical wall outlet to provide low level illumination while at the same time generating an aromatic vapor whose odor is thematically related to a replaceable picture slide incorporated in the assembly and illuminated thereby. The assembly includes a shell supported by a plug projecting from its rear and insertable into the wall outlet. Housed in the shell is a low-wattage bulb, the shell being covered by a removable frame within which is nested the picture slide to be illuminated. Coated on the rear face of the slide is a translucent layer having a volatile aromatic liquid dispersed therein. The shell is vented, and as the air in the shell is heated and expanded by heat arising from the bulb, a convection current is produced which passes across the slide layer to volatilize the liquid, thereby creating an aromatic vapor which is discharged through the vent into the atmosphere.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
1. Field of Invention 
This invention relates generally to night lights to provide low-level 
illumination in a room or passageway, and more particularly to a night 
light assembly which incorporates a replaceable picture slide that is 
illuminated by a low-wattage bulb, the rear face of the slide having a 
translucent layer thereon containing an aromatic liquid which is 
volatilized by heat arising from the bulb to exude an aroma that is 
thematically related to the picture. 
2. State of the Art 
A bedroom which is excessively bright or which has a disagreeable odor is 
not conducive to sleep. Hence in considering the sleeping conditions of a 
room, one must not only seek to minimize noise and other disturbances, but 
one must also arrange for the proper degree of lighting and take steps to 
ensure a pleasing atmosphere. 
A totally dark room is not the ideal environment for sleeping, for it may 
be psychologically depressing to the occupant. Moreover, should the 
sleeper awaken and then move about the dark room, he may collide with 
furniture and other articles therein. Where the sleeping room is a child's 
nursery, a minimum degree of light is desirable. Young children are often 
fearful of complete darkness; and should a parent wish to check on the 
sleeping child without turning on the room light, a low-level night light 
which is already "on" is useful for this purpose. 
The prevailing atmosphere of a room is a more subtle factor in regard to 
sleep. However well cleaned a room, if it has carpeting, draperies or 
other fabrics, these tend to retain odors such as stale tobacco smoke. 
Hence it is often the practice to make use in bedrooms or nurseries of 
commercially available air fresheners. 
The conventional night light consists of an electrical socket which is 
integrated with a plug to be inserted into an electrical wall outlet, a 
low-wattage bulb being held in the socket which also supports a small 
shade. A night light of this type which provides low-level illumination, 
is purely utilitarian in function and appearance, and it makes no useful 
or decorative contribution to the room apart from low-level illumination. 
The use of light bulbs to illuminate a picture slide is commonplace, for 
all commercial slide projectors include a light bulb to supply the 
required light. And the use of light bulbs as heat sources to volatilize 
an aromatic liquid held in a pan or impregnating a porous pad is also well 
known, as evidenced by the patents to Eisner U.S. Pat. No. 2,374,371; 
Gudeman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,403,648, and Schlesinger, U.S. Pat. No. 
2,435,757. 
But it has not heretofore been known to combine a low-level night light 
with a picture slide to provide illumination in a decorative form and an 
aroma generator to render the atmosphere of the room being illuminated 
more pleasing. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to provide a 
night light assembly which plugs directly into an electrical wall outlet 
to produce low level illumination while at the same time generating an 
aromatic vapor whose odor is thematically related to a picture slide 
incorporated in the assembly and illuminated thereby. 
More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide an assembly of 
the above type in which the picture slide is readily replaceable when its 
fragrance source is exhausted or when one wishes to change the picture 
presentations and its thematically-related odor. 
Also an object of this invention is to provide an assembly of the above 
type which is of simple design and which may be manufactured and sold at 
relatively low cost. 
Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a night light assembly which 
plugs directly into an electrical wall outlet to provide low level 
illumination while at the same time generating an aromatic vapor whose 
odor is thematically related to a replaceable picture slide incorporated 
in the assembly and illuminated thereby. 
The assembly includes a shell supported by a plug projecting from its rear 
and insertable into the wall outlet. Housed in the shell is a low-wattage 
bulb, the shell being covered by a removable frame within which is nested 
the picture slide to be illuminated. Coated on the rear face of the slide 
is a translucent layer having a volatile aromatic liquid dispersed 
therein. The shell is vented, and as the air in the shell is heated and 
expanded by heat arising from the bulb, a convection current is produced 
which passes across the slide layer to volatilize the liquid, thereby 
sealing an aromatic vapor which is discharged through the vent into the 
atmosphere.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a night light assembly in 
accordance with the invention, generally designated by numeral 10. The 
assembly is plugged into one socket of a standard double socket electrical 
power outlet 11 located on the baseboard in a bedroom, a nursery or any 
other room or passageway in which the use of a night light is needed to 
provide low-level illumination for reasons of safety or for any other 
purpose. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the assembly includes a shell molded of PVC or 
other synthetic plastic material such as polyethylene or polycarbonate 
which is electrically insulating and has good structural properties. The 
shell includes a rear wall 12, an almost vertical upper wall 13, and a 
sloped lower wall 14. The rim of the shell is in the form of a square 
flange 15 having a channel formation defined by an outer ridge 15A and an 
inner ridge 15B. 
The shell is covered by a square frame 16 which is adapted to snap onto 
flange 15. Frame 16 has a transparent picture slide 17 nested therein 
within a square inner bank 16A, the frame including a curved-in outer bank 
16B which acts as a stop for the slide. Frame 16, which may be molded of 
the same plastic material as the shell, is provided at its upper and lower 
sides with flexible center tabs 19 adapted to snap on to complementary 
upper and lower latching elements 20 formed on the outer ridge of shell 
flange 15. 
Notches 21 and 22 on either side of the upper and lower tabs 19 cooperate 
with corresponding notches 23 and 24 on either side of latching element 20 
to define inlet and outlet vents to permit the flow of air through the 
shell as indicated by arrows IV and OV. The inner shell ridge 15B is 
provided with upper and lower center notches 25 to permit air flow through 
the shell across the rear surface of the slide which covers the shell. 
Mounted on rear wall 12 of the shell are a pair of connectors 26 from whose 
flat prongs 27 project rearwardly to form the plug of the assembly. This 
serves to support the assembly when the prongs are inserted into the 
corresponding openings in the wall power outlet 11. 
Mounted within the shell on rear wall 12 is a socket 28 having a 
low-wattage bulb 29 screwed therein. The shell configuration is such that 
when the assembly is plugged into a vertically-positioned power outlet, 
frame 16 and slide 17 held thereon are tilted upwardly so that if the 
outlet is disposed on a baseboard, the slide may be viewed by looking down 
toward the baseboard. Alternatively, the plug may be connected to the 
shell by means of a swivel, making it possible to tilt the shell in any 
direction. 
The shell is formed of white plastic or the inner surface thereof is coated 
with a white or other light reflecting layer. Thus, light emitted from the 
bulb is reflected by the inner surface of the shell to more or less 
uniformly irradiate the rear face of slide 17 to provide an illuminated 
picture which, in addition to being decorative, affords low level 
illumination in the room. 
The rear face of the slide has a thin translucent layer 30 thereon, as 
shown in FIG. 8, which contains a volatile fragrance that is volatilized 
by heat emanating from lamp 29. This layer may be formed by a gel having a 
volatile aromatic liquid dispersed therein. A gel is a two phase colloidal 
system consisting of a solid and a liquid, the gel behaving as an elastic 
solid which retains its shape. Use is made for present purposes of a gel 
having a low solid content and a volatile liquid which is aromatic. 
Alternatively, instead of a gel, one may coat the rear surface of the slide 
with a thin layer of a translucent soft vinyl plastisol containing a 
fragrance or other volatile organic substance of the type disclosed in the 
Paciorek et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,734. 
As used herein, the term "aroma" is not limited to pleasant or savory 
smells, but encompasses scents that function as insecticides, air 
fresheners, deodorants or any other odor that acts to condition, modify or 
otherwise charge the atmosphere. The aroma of perfumes and perfume-based 
products such as colognes and toilet waters was originally derived from 
the essential oils of plants. However, since the early 19th century, 
chemists have succeeded in analyzing many essential oils and in creating 
thousands of synthetics, some simulating natural products and others 
yielding altogether new scents. Perfumes today are largely blends of 
natural and synthetic scents and of fixatives which equalize vaporization 
and enhance pungency. In most liquid scents, the ingredients are combined 
with alcohol. 
In FIG. 1, the slide 17 which is illustrated has a picture of a cluster of 
flowers, and in this instance, the aromatic liquid dispersed in this layer 
is thematically related to this picture; that is, it yields the 
characteristic odor of the flowers shown. 
The slide is replaceable; and when one uses a slide as shown in FIG. 4 
which pictures a rose, then the aroma generated by the layer is that of 
roses. If the slide in place has a picture of a Christmas tree, as shown 
in FIG. 5, then a pine-like aroma will be generated; whereas if the 
picture is that of strawberries, as in the FIG. 7 slide, then a strawberry 
odor will be exuded by the assembly. Thus, whatever the theme of the 
picture, the layer produces a thematically-related odor. The FIG. 6 slide 
shows a sea scene and the related odor is such as to suggest a sea breeze. 
Thus, the pictures in the slides will in all cases be of some object having 
a characteristic odor, and the layer coated on the rear face of the slide 
will incorporate an aromatic liquid which when vaporized produces this 
odor, so that the viewer smells, as it were, what he sees. 
Thus, the night light assembly is both decorative and useful, and it 
affords low-level illumination accompanied by an aroma 
thematically-related to the illuminated picture. 
While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of NIGHT 
LIGHT ASSEMBLY in accordance with the invention, it will be appreciated 
that many changes and modifications may be made therein without, however, 
departing from the essential spirit thereof.