LED light having a built-in projection light and night light

An LED light has a built-in projection light and a night light to offer at least two functions for people in a dark environment. The projection light can project an image from any type of display-unit irrespective of geometric shape or image source or type, including display of digital data, wireless digital data, an LCD or TFT screen display, or any other display, enabling images of enlarged size to be projected onto a preferred surface, making it easier for people to see the image. The built-in night light helps people see things in a dark environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The above-listed earlier filed cases apply optic theory to LED lights for outdoor or indoor application, and that are powered by alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) supplied by and electric cord and plug for an outlet, a battery, a transformer, a solar power source, or another power source to create a plurality of LED light beams to illuminate a close area(s) and a remote area(s), the remote area being illuminated by projection means which may further incorporate the inventor's previously-disclosed features, such as more than one light source, more than one function, more than one optics means, and more than one projection means, utilizing the inventor's additional power saving and cost saving concepts.

Current market-available night lights have no projection function. To make up for this lack of a projection night light, the present inventor filed a large number of prior patent applications. The night light of the current invention improves upon the inventor's prior night lights in that the night light of the present invention not only may be powered by an outlet power source via prong means, but it also can be used on a desk top or any other location where light illumination can be provided to people during the night for indoors or outdoors use, the invention being applicable to any light device in which a night light has a built-in projection light for any purpose.

While projection lights are known in the toy market, there is no prior projection light having a built-in night light because a night light needs a continuous power source. Furthermore, the majority of projection lights are powered by batteries and have incandescent bulb light sources, which cannot be left continuously on because the batteries will last less than several hours. However, using newly available LEDs for power saving, one can get tens of hours if incorporated with the inventor's power saving circuit (described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/711,456 and other patent applications of the inventor), so that the batteries will last more longer. The LED night lights having projection means described in the inventor's allowed U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/232,505, 12/292,153, 12/318,473 differ from the conventional single projection lights for toys, hand-held projection lights, or desk top projection lights in that the conventional single projection lights lack the following features:(a) a continuous switch position to keep the night light on all the time;(b) housing parts designed to project light to and sit on a surface;(c) a built-in night light—the majority of desk top projection lights not only lack a continuous turn-on night light switch, but even do not have a steady-on select switch;(d) a power saving circuit selection—because earlier items were powered by a bulb which has super big power consumption, they have no night light function;(e) a focus mechanism for obtaining a clear image during long distance projection—the majority provide only provide a clear image over a short distance from the projection head to the projection surface, which is not longer than people's one arms total length, with toys generally being designed for projection to a desk surface or near a wall so that larger, more distant images will not be clear at all;(f) adjustable focus features for long distance projection beyond a human arm length; and(g) a swivel, spin, or rotate projection head design to allow an image to change position at any time and stay there while putting the projection light on a surface—because hand-carried items do not need to spin, but rather can change projection direction just by moving one's hand, such items do not need a swivel, spin, or rotate mechanism.

In contrast, features of preferred embodiments of an LED light with built-in projection light and night light include:(1) The LED light with built-in projection light and night light can be connected to either an outlet power source or battery (energy storage means) to project an image, time, weather, message, display, digital data, cartoon characters, advertisement, seasonal data, promotion art, or other any other signals to people, so that the desired night light can have all kinds of light sources available from the marketplace, which is a very good combination;(2) The LED light with built-in projection light and night light may incorporate a desired combination of switch means, conductive means, sensor means, remote control means, wireless means, digital data means, transmission means, photo sensor means, manual switch means, automatic means, motor means, gear set means, swivel means, rotating means, spin means, USB means, digital data storage means to have a proper function to cause the projection light to have desired functions, effects, or performance;(3) The projection light and night light of the LED light can be turned on and off according to a predetermined timing, to provide desired light functions and performance selected from the marketplace.(4) The projection light can have extra features including (4a) focus adjustment, (4b) changeable projection head position or orientation to project the image anywhere as desired, (4c) a projection head that can swivel, rotate, or spin, (4d) a proper housing design to allow the unit to be installed on any surface without movement, (4e) motor means to cause an image to be continuously changing, (4f) gear set means to cause the image to rotate at a desired speed, (4g) the image can be projected to appear a long distance away from the projection head, (4h) the LED light can be in the form of a desk top light with a base having a built-in night light with a switch to turn it on and for an extended period of time.(5) The projection light may have a focus designed for a long distance which at least longer than arm's length.(6) The projection light may project a focused image over a distance of three feet or more.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 1-ashow a first preferred embodiment of an LED light Having a built-in projection light (1f) and night light (1h). As shown in FIG.1-a, the at least one projection light has desired parts and accessories including a tubular assembly means (1i), telescope means (not shown), optics lens means (1-j), a display-unit assembly (1f) (10g), film, LCD means (1f), TFT means (1f), digital data means (1f), wireless digital means (1f), time piece means (1f), weather means (1f), screen means (1f), light block out means (1d), fixing means (1-d1), transparent means (open areas or display-unit segments and the like), translucent means (display-unit background, foreground, or the like), opening means, cut-out means (1-i′″) (1-i″″), LED means (1-c), light means (1-cas other light source), a lens assembly, attachment means (1-n) (1-p) (1-n′) (1-p′), support means (1-d2), or other parts and accessories (not shown) to project an image, time, weather, message, display, digital data, cartoon characters, advertisement, seasonal data, promotion art, light beams only, or any geometric art, drawing, photos, negative, positive film, LCD screen image, TFT screen image, display-unit image, or any other signals or message that can be recognized and seen by people.

As shown inFIG. 1, the LED light may have more than one light means (1h) (1h′), swivel means (extending poles or rotating Y-frame), rotate means, or spin means to change the projection means' direction or orientation. The projection light may incorporate switch means (1c), sensor means (1c), or other means (not shown) to cause the projection light or night light to turn-on and turn off as required. The power source for this embodiment is an outlet power source connected by prong means (1b).

FIGS. 2,3,4, and5show the detailed construction of the first preferred embodiment. As shown inFIG. 2, a time display projection light has a built-in project light (2d′) and night light (2d″). The projection light is part of a projection assembly (2f) including a housing (2e) and more than one LED (2d′) (2d″) (2j), retractable or foldable prong means (2b), sensor means (2c), a battery cover (not shown), batteries, time adjustable and setting switch(s) (2g) (2h), manual switch(s) (2c), photo sensor means (2c), inner circuit means (not shown), LCD display means (seeFIG. 1a), a digital data display means (FIG. 1a), swivel, rotate, or spin means to allow the projection head to change position, base spin, swivel or rotate means provided by the housing having movable features such as a Y-frame or ball that can rotate or spin), housing means for installing the prong means or energy storage means such as batteries, switch means arranged on a desired location on a ball or base, and/or time related parts and accessories (such as those shown inFIG. 1a) arranged in one area rather than more than one area. TheseFIGS. 2,3,4, and5all show a preferred construction for a time projection light having built-in time related parts and accessories.

FIGS. 11 and 12show the preferred embodiments ofFIGS. 1 to 10with different shapes corresponding to those disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/624,621 (see FIGS. 16-1) and Ser. No. 12/886,832 (See FIG. 5 and FIG. 5-1). Unlike the projection lights disclosed in the copending applications, the projection light of the preferred embodiment is capable of horizontal 0 to 360 degree rotation and vertical 0-360 degree rotation to enable an image to be projected to anywhere. The projection lights of the copending applications have horizontal 0 to 360 degree rotation but vertical rotation has limited angles whereas the Y-Frame can be rotated 0 to 360 degrees and the ball itself can rotate from 0 to 360 degree relative to the Y-frame).

The current invention has both a projection light and a night light, thereby providing at least two functions for the LED light, which is unique. It should also be appreciated that any alternative, revision, amendment, or improvement will fall within the scope of the invention as long as it provides similar or equivalent functions, performance, effects, and results.