Abstract:
A liquid dispensing container includes a transparent or translucent vial. A base is secured to the vial and contains a light source and a battery source. The light source being monochromatic or outputting multiple colors in sequence. A switch is provided for selectively forming electrical engagement between the light source and the battery source. A printed circuit board interspersed between the light source and the battery source affords optional subcircuits including a timer, step-up voltage, or step-down voltage capabilities, or light source output color modulation.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/503,288 filed Sep. 16, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a lighted liquid dispensing container and, more particularly, to a lighted liquid dispensing container having a light emitting diode directing illumination generally parallel to the liquid dispensing container walls. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Bottles, and in particular bottles designed as perfume containers, afford a user with an added visual stimulus to accompany the tactile and olfactory aspects of perfume application. The added size and/or volume displacement of conventional illuminated perfume bottles has limited the acceptance of such bottles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,402 is representative thereof. Thus, there exists a need for an illuminated perfume bottle where the lighting components are compact and do not displace contents volume. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A liquid dispensing container includes a transparent or translucent vial. A base is secured to the vial and contains a light source and a battery source. The light source being monochromatic or outputting multiple colors in sequence. A switch is provided for selectively forming electrical engagement between the light source and the battery source. A printed circuit board interspersed between the light source and the battery source affords optional subcircuits including a timer, step-up voltage, or step-down voltage capabilities, or light source output color modulation. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective partial cutaway view of a preferred inventive embodiment; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the inventive embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is an alternate embodiment of the present invention wherein the illumination extends from the cap towards the bottle volume. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention has utility as a liquid dispensing container affording enhanced user sensory stimulation. According to the present invention, a base or cap holder incorporates a light source, a battery source and switch circuitry for electrical communication therebetween. The illumination from the light source is projected along the length of the container alone, or through an optional sleeve. The present invention is ideally suited for use as a perfume bottle. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an inventive liquid dispensing container is shown generally at  10 . The container  10  includes a transparent or translucent vial  12  having a mouth  14 . The vial  12  is formed of any material conventional to the art that is chemically unreactive to the intended contents therein. Transparent or translucent bottle materials illustratively include glass, acrylic, thermoplastics, of colorless or colored forms. While the vial  12  is depicted as cylindrical in shape with an aspect ratio between length and diameter of about six, it is appreciated that the vial in the present invention operatively is provided in a variety of shapes illustratively including rectilinear, ellipsoidal, polygonal and complex geometric cross sections. A vial  12  according to the present invention preferably has a mouth  14  terminating in a dispensing head selected based upon the nature of the liquid contained therein. Vial mouth heads illustratively include an atomizer spray nozzle and a roller ball head  15 . Optionally, a sleeve  16  having a top  18  and a bottom  20  encompasses the vial  12 . The sleeve  16 , when present, is preferably formed from a conventional material in two dimensions sufficient to create an impact-resistant barrier to protect the encompassed vial  12 . Materials from which inventive sleeve  16  is formed illustratively include acrylic, ABS, thermoplastics, and tempered glass. While a sleeve  16  inevitably provides some protection to an encompassed vial  12 , the sleeve  16  also provides an additional light transmission media. Optionally, indicia are scored or stamped into the sleeve  16  or vial  12  to create a high optical contrast decorative or branding indicia. A cap  17  is provided to selectively seal the contents of the vial  12  against the external environment. A cap  17  secures to the vial  12  through conventional means illustratively including complementary threads and a stopper engaging the vial mouth  14 . 
   A base holder  24  is defined by a sidewall  26  and a base bottom  28 . The base holder  24  is secured to the distal portion of the vial  12  relative to the mouth  14  or alternatively, if a sleeve  16  is present, the base holder  24  is optionally secured thereto. The base holder  24  is secured to a vial  12 , or sleeve  16  by conventional means illustratively including complementary threads, contact adhesives, and a friction fitting. A light source  30  is located within the base holder  24 . 
   The light source  30  includes an incandescent bulb, a light emitting diode, and a phosphorescent emitter element. Preferably, the light source is a light emitting diode (LED). The light source of the present invention has white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and ultraviolet emissions. While the present invention is described with respect to a single light source, it is appreciated that multiple light sources are readily incorporated herein. When multiple light sources are present, it is appreciated that two or more light sources having different emission characteristics can be controlled to afford different illumination colors within an inventive liquid dispensing container. 
   In still another inventive embodiment, the light source  30  has a variable color output provided by a light emitting diode having a multiple color output or at least two light emitting diodes where the first light emitting diode has a first single color output and a second light emitting diode where the first color output differs from the second color output. The variable color light source optionally includes a third light emitting diode having a third color output, where the third color output varies from the second color output. The variable color output of the light source can be varied automatically through the printed circuit board  42  which automatically cycles the light source color upon initial switch activation and continues to cycle the colors until switch deactivation. Alternatively, the light source color is varied with each depression of the switch  34 . 
   Preferably, the light source is oriented to direct a majority of the emission therefrom into the vial  12  via a vial bottom  13 . 
   The base housing  24  also has located therein a battery source  32  characterized by an output voltage capable to power the light source  30 . While it is recognized that any number of single cell or battery cell stacks are operative herein, in a preferred embodiment, a button-type battery cell is used in an inventive container. In a particular preferred embodiment, a high storage capacity lithium battery is coupled with a light emitting diode light source. 
   In another preferred embodiment the battery source  32  is a rechargeable battery and the base housing is adapted to couple with a conventional outlet power supplied consumer electronic recharger station  33 . A recharger preferably operating through induction to recharge the battery source  32 . 
   The base holder bottom  28  is secured to the base holder  24  in order to enclose the light source  30  and the battery source  32  therein. The base holder bottom  28  is secured to the base holder  24  by conventional means illustratively including complementary threads, threaded fasteners, adhesives, and fusion. Preferably, a fastener  31  secures the bottom  28  to the holder  24 . 
   A switch  34  is provided for selectively forming an electrical engagement between the light source  30  and the battery source  32 . The switch  34  is intended for manual activation. Preferably, the switch  34  is located in the base holder sidewall  26  although it is recognized that the switch  34  is also operative when located in the base holder bottom  28 . 
   While the switch  34  is appreciated to be any conventional electrical switch, in a preferred embodiment, the switch  34  is a dome switch in which a concave conductive metal element  36  is depressed into selective contact so as to form an electrical circuit between the light source  30  and the battery source  32 . Preferably, when the switch  34  is a dome switch, the metal element  36  has a protective elastomeric cover  38 . 
   Alternatively, the switch  34  is positioned such that the light source is deactivated upon an interface being formed between a cap and the vial. 
   In still another alternate embodiment, the switch  34  is a switch sensitive to the motion of an inventive liquid dispensing container. 
   It is appreciated that the relationship between a sleeve  16  and the base holder  24  is variable in that the sleeve  16  optionally encompasses at least a portion of the base holder sidewall  26 . In an extreme instance, the sleeve  16  and the base holder bottom  28  are coterminous. In an instance where the sleeve  16  encompasses at least a portion of the base holder sidewall  26 , a sidewall mounted switch  34  is optionally positioned to protrude through an aperture in the sleeve  16 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, the base holder  24  also incorporates a printed circuit board  42  in electrical communication with the light source  30 . The printed circuit board  42  includes a timer circuit (not shown) to limit the duration of light source emission subsequent to switch activation. A time limit circuit is particularly effective in maintaining battery source longevity in instances where an inventive container is carried by an individual on their person or in a carrier such as a purse. In such instances, inadvertent illumination is likely to occur thereby depleting the battery source. Still more preferably, the base holder  24  has an opening  29  adapted to receive an electrically non-conductive strip  44  therethrough. The strip  44  is intended to mechanically prevent formation of an electrical circuit between the light source  30  and the battery source  32 . The strip  44  is intended to prevent inadvertent illumination during shipment and/or storage. As a result, a user of an inventive container withdraws the non-conductive strip  44  upon beginning container usage. Optionally, the non-conductive strip  44  is replaced to prevent inadvertent illumination during subsequent transportation. 
   Optionally, the printed circuit board  42  modifies the battery source output voltage to either increase or decrease the battery output voltage to more closely correspond to the light source activation voltage. Preferably, the modified battery output voltage is within 20 excess percent of the light source activation voltage. More preferably, the modified output voltage is within 10 excess percent of the light source activation output voltage. In instances where a light emitting diode is the light source, it is often the case that the light emitting diode activation voltage is greater than that of a single dry cell or lithium battery output voltage and as such multiple batteries operating in series are required to drive the light emitting diode. Additional batteries increase both the cost and weight of an inventive liquid dispensing container. As such, the use of a conventional transformerless voltage step-up circuit is employed to increase the battery output voltage to at least that of the LED activation voltage. Typically, printed circuit board circuitry increases the battery output voltage by a factor of between 1.6 and 3 in order to provide sufficient voltage to drive a light emitting diode at its activation voltage or above, Preferably, printed circuit board circuitry has as an input the battery source output voltage and modifies the battery output voltage to within 20 percent of the light source activation voltage. 
   In an alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , an inventive liquid dispensing container is shown generally at  50  where like numerals correspond to those elements previously described with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the inventive container  50 , a vial  12  has a mouth  14 . An illuminating cap  52  has a sidewall  56  and a top  58 . The illuminating cap  52  encloses a light source  30 , a battery source  32  and a switch  34 . Preferably, the switch  34  is a dome switch including a metal element  36  and an elastomeric cover  38 . The top  58  is preferably secured to the remainder of the illuminating cap  52  through the use of a threaded fastener  60 . Preferably, intermediate between the light source  30  and the battery source  32  is a printed circuit board  42 . Optionally, the illuminating cap  52  has an opening  59  therein. The opening  59  is adapted to receive a non-conducting strip  44  that precludes illumination while the strip  44  mechanically blocks the formation of electric communication between the light source  30  and the battery source  32 . 
   Preferably, the mouth  14  has a dispensing head illustratively including an atomizer spray nozzle or a ball head  15  coupled to the mouth  14  of the vial  12 . 
   In a particularly preferred embodiment, the light source  30  within the illuminating cap  52  is an ultraviolet emitting light emitting diode (UV LED). Activation of the switch  34  in the preferred embodiment creates ultraviolet light illumination of the vial head for a period of time sufficient to sterilize the dispensing head. The biocidal ultraviolet emission entering the vial  12  is largely blocked from passing into the exterior of an inventive container by the glass or plastic material of which the vial  12  is formed. Optionally, a sleeve  16 , or a transparent or translucent outer vial including sides and a bottom (not shown) encompasses the vial. The sleeve  16  or outer vial is appreciated to further block ultraviolet light transmission from an inventive container. 
   Patents and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. These patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual patent or publication was specifically and individually incorporated herein by reference. 
   The foregoing description is illustrative of particular embodiments of the invention, but is not meant to be a limitation upon the practice thereof. The following claims, including all equivalents thereof, are intended to define the scope of the invention.